More Than I Thought I Could
by yintotheyang
Summary: Johnny Zacchara is a struggling musician in need of a woman's touch. Can Lulu Spencer get the job done? JoLu AU fic.
1. Prologue

A/N – Okay, here is the new story! This is completely AU as are most of my stories. It's been in the works for awhile, but I'm taking it slow to make sure I really get the greatest effect possible. So, I can't promise weekly updates, but I'm definitely going to try! Special shout out to Beth because she's awesome and helped with the idea. Anyway, enough babbling by me. I would really love to hear what you think about this and if you hate it, I will not continue, but I hope you love it because I do.

**Prologue – The First Performance**

Deep breaths.

Confidence. Passion. Honesty.

Johnny looked in the mirror, repeating these words over and over again to himself as he took deep cleansing breaths to calm his nerves. These were the words he played by; words he lived by. He could still hear his teacher telling him at such a young age that music without confidence was only notes. Music without passion was only sound. Music without honesty was nothing.

Johnny turned from the mirror and walked toward his door, pausing briefly by a picture of his mother. She would be so excited if she could see him now. He took his gray suit coat off the coat rack and pulled it on over the black button up shirt he wore. Taking one final deep breath, he picked up his keys and headed for his car.

This was the night of his first performance in what he hoped to be his long career as a musician. He had gotten a gig playing piano and singing at a jazz bar in a small town over an hour away from Manhattan. The town, Port Charles, wasn't much but it offered him a starting place. Johnny was filling in for the normal entertainment and the owner had made it clear he wasn't offering a permanent position, but it didn't matter. He was going to do what he loved most and get paid for it. That was all he cared about.

Johnny pulled onto the highway that led to Port Charles and smiled to himself. He was really achieving this dream that he had been dreaming since he was only six years old. Driving along in silence, his mind drifted back to the first time his mom took him to a piano lesson. He remembered thinking what a waste of time it was. But he loved his mother and because she was so adamant about him learning, he did. Then the first time he played a song, he fell in love with the instrument.

After that, he begged his mom to double his lessons, so she did. Anything to make her son happy, she had said. Johnny was dedicated to his music and his mother was so proud every time she heard him play. He knew it was because his playing reminded her of happier times, before his father had died in a car accident when Johnny was only one. And to be honest, playing the piano created an escape for him that allowed him to forget that he didn't have a father like all of the other kids around him.

As he got older, he started to sing as well as play. He entered junior high and high school talent shows and won most of them. When he was seventeen, his mom was diagnosed with cancer and he had to cut back on lessons so they could afford her treatment. She fought for almost a year, but eventually lost the fight and Johnny had to bury his mother alongside his father just a week before his high school graduation ceremony.

Johnny was unable to get into a music school after graduation because of lack of funding. He began working as a waiter and doing odd jobs for people in the neighborhood, trying to make enough money to make ends meet, always looking out for musical opportunities. He'd been doing just that for almost a year when he finally got the gig in Port Charles and he was hoping this would change everything. Sure it was only a one time thing, but there was always a chance that someone in the audience would make it more than a one time thing. Someone could hear him and want to make his dreams of recording his own music come true as much as he did.

He took his exit, shocked at how quickly the drive had gone. He followed the directions the owner had given him and pulled into the parking lot with still over an hour to go before his performance was supposed to begin. He headed inside and smiled at the atmosphere. It was exactly what he pictured for his first performance. The owner came out of the back room and smiled, walking over to shake his hand.

"Mr. Zacchara," the owner beamed. "Glad to see you made it just fine."

"Glad to be here, sir," Johnny replied. "This is a great place."

"I had a feeling you were the kind of man to like my taste," the owner chuckled. "When we met in the city, I knew you would be the perfect person to fill the spot. I'm glad you agreed, even though I can't offer you anything permanent."

"Any opportunity is a blessing as far as I'm concerned," Johnny said genuinely. "I'm just thankful you offered me the spot. I hope I live up to your expectations."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," the owner offered. "Let me take you backstage so you can do anything you need to do to get ready. Then I'll come get you when it's time for you to start."

Johnny nodded and followed him back stage. The owner left quickly to go check on something and Johnny found himself staring in the mirror once again. He was ready for this. This was his destiny. He had promised himself every day since his mother died that he would achieve his dream for her and it was time for the first step in reaching the goal to be conquered.

He closed his eyes and visualized the songs he would play, the words he would sing. He saw the smiles of the audience, heard their applause. He felt their excitement at hearing his music for the very first time. He smiled and opened his eyes, catching the eye of the owner, who had come to stand beside him once again, in the mirror. It was time.

Confidence. Passion. Honesty.

Deep breaths.

"Lu, let's go!" Laura called from downstairs.

Lulu turned back to the mirror and sighed. Another Friday night spent at her father's club, Luke's, rather than out on a date or with her friends. She loved music, but the stuff the musician at the club played was just so shallow. It didn't seem to apply to anything or anyone. It was just...not music at all.

Lulu grabbed her clutch off of her dresser and turned to exit her room. She hurried down the stairs and smiled as she saw her mother waiting by the door. Even though she wasn't elated to be going to the club, she did enjoy spending time with her mom. In many ways, Laura was her best friend and their Friday nights at the club, followed by a movie and ice cream at home were very special to Lulu. She knew how lucky she was to have a mother she could depend on and she vowed to herself long ago to never take Laura for granted.

Laura pulled up to the club and Lulu smiled. As much as she had been dreading going to Luke's earlier, she couldn't help but feel like this night was different. There was some different energy she could feel as she stepped out of Laura's car and headed for the entrance. She hooked her arm through her mother's as they entered and were led to their private table. They took a seat at the table and Lulu laughed as her father immediately joined them, kissing her forehead and kissing Laura's cheek.

"Cupcake, you look wonderful," Luke commented before turning to Laura. "And you look beautiful as ever, angel."

"What's with the sweet talk, Luke?" Laura asked.

"Sweet talk?" Luke asked, feigning shock. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, please, dad," Lulu giggled. "You only complement the two of us when you think you're in a hole and need a way out."

"Well, I may have forgotten to mention that Marty, the guy who usually plays the music, is on vacation," Luke said sheepishly.

"So there's no music tonight?" Laura wondered, looking disappointed.

"Of course there's music," Luke replied. "But it's just some kid who I found in Manhattan. He's never had a paying gig before, so I got him for cheap. He's nothing to really write home about, but I think he'll suffice just for the night."

"And you were complementing us because you're afraid we won't like him and be pissed at you for not telling us before we got all dressed up and came down here?" Lulu guessed.

"You are a sharp one, daughter of mine," Luke smiled.

"No need to worry, Luke," Laura said sweetly. "I'm sure this boy will do a fine job. And even if he doesn't, Lulu and I will enjoy ourselves, won't we, sweetheart?"

"Yes, we will," Lulu agreed.

Luke grinned at both of them and announced that he was going to get this new artist so he could start entertaining for the night as he was being paid to do. Lulu sat back in her chair, glancing around the room and wondering what it was about the club that was so different. Everything looked the same, but she would have sworn some drastic change had been made. She was about to ask her mother about it when she heard her father's voice.

"Welcome to Luke's, everyone," Luke said, smiling at the people. "I hope you're all enjoying your evening and I appreciate you coming out. And now, if it pleases you, the entertainer for this evening, Mr. Johnny Zacchara."

Lulu sat up slightly, narrowing her eyes on the curtain that would soon be lifted to reveal this new musician on stage. The curtain raised and Lulu smiled as she saw him, sitting on stage behind the piano with a microphone in front of his lips. Marty, who could play every instrument known to man, seemed to always be playing his guitar. He never sat down behind the beautiful baby grand piano that donned the stage at Luke's and she always secretly hated it. But now, this young, new musician was seated behind it, looking as if the seat were made just for him.

"Good evening," Johnny said softly. "It's an honor to be here."

Lulu watched him intently as he placed his hands on the keys and closed his eyes. He pressed down gently and the notes rang out and Lulu smiled instantly. He was a Billy Joel man. The chords to "Lullaby" rang out through the club and the remaining chatter quieted as Johnny began to sing.

_Good night my angel time to close you eyes  
And save these questions for another day  
I think I know what you've been asking me  
I think you know what I've been trying to say_

I promised I would never leave you  
And you should always know  
Where ever you may go  
No matter where you are  
I never will be far away

Lulu found herself closing her own eyes, getting lost in the sound of his voice. His smooth tone blended perfectly with the effortless sound of the piano melody that played in the background. She opened her eyes to watch him and noticed how calm and relaxed he seemed to be. He was at home on the stage with his piano, with his music. There was a confidence to him that she could not remember seeing in any other musician on stage at Luke's.

_Good night my angel now it's time to sleep  
And still so many things I want to say  
Remember all the songs you sang for me  
When we went sailing on an emerald bay_

And like a boat out on the ocean  
I'm rocking you to sleep  
The water's dark and deep  
Inside this ancient heart  
You'll always be a part of me

Lulu had always longed to see Billy Joel in person, but she knew if she was unable to it would no longer matter. Whoever this Johnny Zacchara was, he was not what her father had described. He was most certainly someone to write home about. As he moved into the musical bridge of the song, his playing grew louder and Lulu recognized a passion in his music that made it so much more than just sound.

_Goodnight my angel now it's time to dream  
And dream how wonderful your life will be  
Someday your child will cry and if you sing this lullaby  
Then in your heart there will always be a part of me_

Someday we'll all be gone  
But lullabies go on and on  
They never die that's how you and I will be

As Johnny played the last bit of the song, Lulu felt tears form in her eyes. The ending was always her favorite because she loved the implication. Music could make feelings and emotions last forever in the form of a song. And there was nothing better than a song written and played with honest emotion. Lulu smiled as the last note rang out on the piano, knowing that Johnny had played with honesty.

Lulu felt her mother's thumb wiping away a stray tear that had leaked down her face and she blushed, embarrassed to have been so affected by the music.

"He was very talented," Laura smiled, letting Lulu know there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Lulu could only nod her agreement, but knew that she didn't really believe her mother's words. Talented didn't begin to cover the level of excellency Johnny Zacchara possessed in her mind. Lulu knew without a doubt that one day, she would be hearing his music on the radio and she could not wait until that day came.


	2. Someone to Believe in Him

A/N – There are a few things you need to know about this update. Nine years have gone by between the prologue and chapter one. I realize that's a long time, but don't worry. There's a method to my madness. Also, Johnny and Lulu did not meet at Luke's that night. I know a lot of people (pretty much everyone) wanted them to, but that wasn't the plan and I hope you will all be okay with that. Anyway, I hope that answers any possible questions. Please leave me feedback after reading! It's really important for me to know what the readers are thinking and feeling!

**Chapter 1 – Someone to Believe in Him**

Lulu stared off into space, her mind wandering as it usually did after listening to the demo of some aspiring pianist. Her thoughts went back to nine years ago when she was hearing a truly great talent on the piano and she couldn't help but smile. None of the demos she ever listened to measured up to Johnny Zacchara. And she doubted they ever would.

Lulu had changed somewhat after that night at Luke's. She no longer wondered what she should do with her life or tossed around career choices with her friends. From that moment on, she knew she wanted to live and breathe music. The kind of music that Johnny played, that inspired her. She decided to become a music producer and she worked very hard to make her dream a reality. After graduating from PCU, she was immediately offered a position at L&B Records which she happily accepted. Her job was to listen to potential clients and choose which ones to hand over to her boss who would make the final decision.

She looked at the CD of the music she had just listened to and shook her head. She could never be objective with this style, so she put the CD off to the side and planned to give it to a colleague later who could listen to it without bias. If it was up to Lulu, L&B would never sign a pianist unless it was Johnny. And she knew that wasn't fair.

Lulu glanced up to the clock on the wall of her office and noticed it was past twelve and she was late to meet Brook. Brook Lynn Ashton was Lulu's best friend and was L&B's claim to fame in the music world. She easily brought in the most money for the record company, but was still very down to earth and a good friend. Lulu met her when she first came to the company and they had instantly gotten along.

Lulu stood up from her desk and got her things together quickly to go meet Brook. She left her office, closing the door behind her, and walked out of the building towards her car. She drove quickly to the Metro Court, parked and walked inside. Lulu smiled at the doorman and headed for the elevator. The ride up to the restaurant wasn't too long and she stepped off, looking around for Brook. She spotted Brook at a table, looking at a menu. Lulu hurried over and took a seat across from her.

"Sorry, I'm late," Lulu offered, picking up a menu as well.

"No problem," Brook smiled. "I figured you were tied up at work."

"Something like that," Lulu replied. "I was listening to a piano demo and I lost track of time."

"Any good?" Brook asked.

"I guess," Lulu shrugged. "But I'm going to let someone else make the decision."

"I wish I could hear music by Johnny Zacchara to see why he has left such an impression on you," Brook laughed. "It's been what? Nine years? And still, no one holds a candle to him?"

"I wish I could explain it, but I can't," Lulu muttered. "I just don't understand how he isn't famous by now."

"Maybe he gave up," Brook suggested. "It's hard to make it and most people quit when the going gets tough."

"Maybe, he did," Lulu sighed. "But I don't think so. I just can't imagine him ever giving up on music. He played with such passion."

"And confidence and honesty," Brook added. "You've told me a million times."

"Sorry," Lulu said, blushing slightly.

"It's fine," Brook replied. "I just don't understand why you keep listening to all of the piano music if you know you're never going to be able to judge it fairly."

"I think it's because I keep hoping one day, I'll put in one of the demos and I'll hear Johnny's music play," Lulu said, a smile gracing her features.

"What do you think the odds are that will happen?" Brook asked.

"Not very good," Lulu admitted. "It's stupid of me. Why don't we talk about something else?"

"Like what?" Brook wondered.

"Like what we're going to eat for lunch," Lulu answered. "I'm starving."

Johnny looked at his watch and sighed. His agent was supposed to call with news from the latest record company Johnny's music had been sent to. He knew he was running out of options, so even though he tried not to, he was really getting his hopes up for this deal. He needed this deal.

Johnny had been trying to land a deal for the better part of the last nine years. After seven years on his own, he decided to use some of the money he had saved from his different jobs and acquire the agent he had now. His agent had promised him a contract within six months, which had changed to a year and was now "just within reach". Johnny wondered if his agent really believed in him at all. He also wondered if he believed in himself anymore.

Johnny could feel the difference in his music. What used to be filled with so much confidence now held a question. His passion for his craft was starting to lack as well. He was beginning to wonder if he did finally achieve his dream if it would be too late. Maybe he didn't love music the way he did when he set out on his path.

His mind wandered back to his first performance at Luke's. He often thought of that night when he was trying to reignite his passion for the music he played. That night he had been so sure that everything he dreamed of would become a reality. As he had played the first chord of his first song, life had seemingly fallen into place. If he had only known that nine years later, he would still be struggling, he might not have bothered to play that first chord. Or the first song.

He wanted to be successful for his mother, to achieve this dream that she had put in motion, but he knew he couldn't dream forever. There had to come a point when he grew up and accepted failure. And that point was drawing closer with every record company that turned him down.

His phone finally rang and Johnny felt his hands start to sweat. He reacted this way every single time he was hearing about a possible record deal and his nerves were the best indication of how important making it in the music business was to him. He flipped his cell phone open and brought it to his ear.

"Hello?" Johnny said, holding his breath.

"Hey, Johnny," his agent sighed and Johnny knew the outcome instantly.

"Don't bother saying it, Dave," Johnny muttered. "They said no."

"It was the same thing again," Dave replied. "They think your music is too sad and depressing. If you had some uplifting songs, they might have a different opinion."

"There has to be a record company out there who isn't looking for music that's all love and sap," Johnny said angrily.

"Not all love and sap, Johnny," Dave argued. "But you don't have a single song that's about something good."

"My music is about my honest life experiences," Johnny said defensively. "I'm sorry if that's not good enough, but I probably shouldn't sign a deal with a company who doesn't value honesty anyway."

"Well, it's okay you feel that way because they aren't offering you one," Dave yelled. "No one is!"

Johnny shut his eyes as he tried to keep himself from throwing his phone against the wall. The kind of music he produced portrayed who he was. And no one wanted his broken life, heart and soul. He doubted anyone ever would.

"I sent your music to a new record company I found," Dave said softly. "L&B Records in Port Charles. They may be your last chance."

"Thanks, Dave," Johnny sighed. "For all the hard work. I really appreciate it."

"I believe in the music you make, Johnny," Dave offered. "But sometimes belief just isn't enough."

Johnny said goodbye and hung up his phone. He knew that Dave was right. No matter how much belief Dave had in him or even Johnny had in himself, belief alone wouldn't make him a top notch classical artist. He was starting to wonder if there was anyone out there who could believe in him enough to make him successful.

Lulu entered her office again and saw a brand new stack of demos on her desk that her secretary must have dropped off while she was at lunch with Brook. She looked the stack over and counted ten CDs she was supposed to listen to this afternoon. Her mouth curved into a smile at the thought. She really loved her job.

She picked up the first one and put it in without looking at the label. She settled into her desk and put her headphones on before pressing the button to play the music. She picked up her notepad, but dropped it just as quickly when she heard the music of the artist.

It couldn't be.

The voice joined in and Lulu grinned widely. After all this time, she was hearing Johnny play again. She closed her eyes and got lost in the his demo. His skill at the piano was evident in the piece he was playing and his voice complemented his playing just as perfectly as it had nine years before in Luke's. She listened to the words of the song and a frown came to her face. The song was so sad and it caused her heart to break. She knew how honest his music was and the words of the song made her wonder what he had been through to cause such pain.

When the song ended, the smile returned to Lulu's face. Even though the song was sad, it was still brilliant. She didn't even care to listen to the other songs on the demo because she knew she was pitching this to her boss. She had to get Johnny a deal at L&B Records. After all, he was the one who inspired her career which subsequently landed her the job she had. It was only fair to return the favor.

And of course, she was dying to meet the man whose music had changed her life.


	3. Mending Shattered Dreams

A/N – Here is the newest chapter! I hope everyone is enjoying this story! I know you're all anxiously awaiting the Jolu meeting and it's not going to come in this one, but I think you'll like it anyway! Let me know by leaving a review!

**Chapter 2 – Mending Shattered Dreams**

Lulu stood anxiously, watching Ned listen to Johnny's demo. As soon as the first song had finished, she had ejected the CD and rushed to his office. Knowing that it was rare for her to get so excited over someone's music, Ned immediately ushered her inside and played the demo for himself. Now he was making notes as he listened to the fourth song on the demo and Lulu didn't like the look on his face. He seemed less than impressed and Lulu was at a loss.

In her mind, everything playing on that demo was golden, yet Ned hadn't smiled once. The fourth song came to an end and before the next one could start, he hit stop. He shook his head and looked up at Lulu with a frown that only meant one thing. Lulu shut her eyes and sighed as he stood up.

"I'm sorry, Lulu," Ned offered, but she just shook her head.

"You have to sign him, he's brilliant," Lulu argued.

"It's just not what we're looking for," Ned replied. "His stuff needs too much work and we're not in a place to take on a project right now."

"What do you mean 'his stuff needs too much work'?" Lulu asked. "His voice is amazing and he's a better piano player than anyone on our label right now."

"Maybe that's true," Ned conceded. "But his lyrics are...just not what we need."

"What does that mean?" Lulu wondered.

"It's all gloom and doom," Ned explained. "I've never heard so much sadness in four songs before in my life. In times like these when everyone is worried about the economy and gas prices, no one wants to hear despair on their radios. They want songs about hope and happy endings."

"Well, you didn't listen to all of the songs," Lulu pointed out.

"Are there happy songs later on?" Ned questioned.

"I don't know," Lulu admitted. "I only needed one song to know this was someone we had to sign."

"I disagree," Ned sighed. "If this is some friend of yours that you're trying to sell, tell him to work on his lyrics and maybe we'll take another look."

"It's not a friend of mine, he's...I've never met him," Lulu said softly. "I heard him play a long time ago and...I just feel like I owe him in some way. It's hard to explain."

"Well, I wish we could take the risk, Lulu, I do," Ned replied. "When you give his agent the call back to tell him no, make sure and tell him we'll be willing to hear him again if he develops some more uplifting music."

"I will," Lulu agreed. "Ned, I know you must think I'm crazy-"

"No, no," Ned said, interrupting her. "We all have music that speaks to us for some unknown reason. And I respect your opinion on music, very much. That's why I hired you."

"Thanks for taking a break from your work to listen to the demo," Lulu smiled, taking Johnny's music back from Ned. "I'll see you later."

"Bye," Ned called as she walked out of his office.

Lulu walked down the hall and entered her office slamming the door behind her. She leaned back against the door and shut her eyes tightly. This was supposed to be Johnny's chance and she was letting him down. Her eyes fluttered open and she fought back the tears. Why was she so emotional over this? She had never even met Johnny. For all she knew he was a jerk who was stuck on himself. Or maybe he was some chauvinist who would have hated working with her because he didn't believe women belonged in the business world.

Lulu let the tears fall slowly. Johnny wasn't a jerk or a chauvinist. He was a talented musician who needed a break, but she couldn't be the one to give it to him, no matter how much she wanted to. She wiped her eyes and headed to her desk. Hating herself for having to make the call, she dialed the number to Johnny's agent.

She only hoped that the rejection from L&B Records didn't destroy Johnny's dream.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Johnny didn't know what was worse. Listening to the tick of the clock as he waited for the call from his agent that was coming at precisely three o'clock and would most likely decide his fate as a musician or watching said clock as it ticked. He knew there had to be something better or more productive he could be doing, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything else. His nerves were on overdrive, more so than they had ever been, and they were paralyzing him. Never in his life had so much ridden on one simple phone call. Never in his life had the clock moved so slow.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

2:59. Just one more minute. As annoying as Dave could be, his phone calls were always on time and that was one thing Johnny appreciated. There was nothing worse than waiting around for someone who seemingly had no sense of time to call.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

The clock struck three and the phone rang. Amazing, really, that he could be _**that**_ on time with his calls. It was almost as if he sat around watching the clock as well. Johnny shook himself out of his thoughts and picked up the phone. He took a deep breath, desperate to prepare himself for whatever was to come.

"Hey," Johnny said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Two years we've worked together," Dave muttered. "You never have seemed to like me much."

"Excuse me?" Johnny asked.

"You obviously blame me for you not succeeding in the music business," Dave replied.

"So I'm guessing the last chance was a no," Johnny deduced.

"Of course they said no," Dave said harshly. "Because you refuse to change, no matter what I tell you."

"What did they say?" Johnny questioned.

"You know what they said," Dave answered.

"Nothing different at all?" Johnny asked.

"They actually offered to listen to your stuff again if you would write some happy music," Dave said and Johnny cold hear him roll his eyes. "But we all know that's not happening."

"Look, if you have something else to say, just spit it out," Johnny demanded.

"Fine, I quit," Dave snapped.

He quit? Johnny blinked a few times, trying to understand what Dave had just said. He quit. He was giving up on Johnny. There was no one else left who actually believed he could make it. He _**quit**_.

"Alright," Johnny mumbled. "It was good working with you. Thanks for your efforts."

"That's all you have to say?" Dave wondered.

"There's nothing much else to say, is there?" Johnny countered.

"I guess not," Dave replied. "You know, if you ever get inspired to write something happy, you can give me a call. I'll help you get an interview with a record company."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Johnny sighed. "I don't think I'll be writing much anymore."

"You're giving up?" Dave asked.

"I'm coming to terms," Johnny chuckled. "I'd say it was about time."

"Well, good luck with whatever you do," Dave offered. "Bye, Johnny."

"Bye, Dave," Johnny muttered.

He flipped his phone shut and stared at it silently for a moment before tossing it against the far wall, causing it to shatter into pieces.

And in that moment, his phone became a perfect representation of his dreams.

Lulu poured herself a glass of wine and walked over to her couch. Johnny's demo was in the stereo system she had and she pressed play before settling into the couch and sipping her wine slowly. She hated knowing that today she had found Johnny's music after nine years and had failed at getting him the record deal he deserved.

She let the music wash over her and her mood only got worse. As amazing as his music was, it was incredibly sad. Maybe Ned had been correct in his assessment that the music was just _**too**_ sad to be popular with fans. She paused the CD and tried to gather her thoughts. She felt as if she was on the verge of a great idea, but she didn't quite know what it was yet. A knock on her door interrupted her train of thought and she quickly hurried to answer it.

"Brook," Lulu said, opening the door. "What are you doing here?"

"I ran into my dad and he said something about turning a demo you brought him down," Brook explained, stepping inside. "He said it was classical and I knew immediately who it was. I figured you might be upset."

"Just a little," Lulu admitted. "I really wanted Johnny to get a deal at L&B, but Ned just thought the music was too sad."

"Well, sad isn't always bad," Brook replied, nodding when Lulu held up a glass to ask if she wanted some wine. "Some of the greatest songs are heartbreaking."

"It's because all of the music is sad," Lulu continued. "Not one bit of happiness in one single song."

"Hmm," Brook muttered thoughtfully, taking the glass Lulu offered her. "Do you have it with you?"

"Yeah, I brought his demo home with me," Lulu nodded. "I was supposed to send it back, but I wanted to listen to it just a little more, so I decided I could wait until tomorrow."

"Well, I wouldn't mind hearing it after hearing so much about him," Brook smiled.

Lulu laughed and pressed play, letting Johnny's music ring throughout her apartment. Brook listened with a pensive expression and she seemed to be really soaking in the music and forming her own opinion. When the song came to an end, Lulu paused the CD once again and looked to Brook.

"So?" Lulu asked.

"He's really talented," Brook replied. "But my dad had a point about the sad thing. If every song is like that, I don't think he would get a lot of support."

"I just wish I knew why every song was like that," Lulu sighed. "Why is he only inspired to write such sorrowful music?"

"I don't know," Brook shrugged. "It's almost as if he needs something happy to come into his life so he can find his muse."

"Yeah," Lulu agreed. "Or maybe just work with someone who knows happiness that can help him develop some more hopeful stuff."

"Exactly," Brook nodded.

Lulu again got the feeling that she was just about to have a great idea. She sighed to herself, assuming it was just wishful thinking. But then, like a light bulb being turned on inside her head, the solution to Johnny's problem came to her in an instant.

"I could do it," Lulu said, smiling to herself. "I could work with Johnny."

"Lulu, you know a lot about what sounds good," Brook pointed out. "But you've never written a song in your life."

"I've never tried, either," Lulu countered. "Plus, I might not even have to write it."

"You think you could be his muse?" Brook wondered.

"No, that's not what I meant," Lulu replied, trying not to focus on how much the idea appealed to her. "I mean, maybe I could just share some of my happy experiences with him and he can write about them."

"Lulu, if this doesn't work, you're going to be crushed," Brook said softly. "I know you. I can tell you're already blaming yourself for not landing him the deal. That's why you want to do this."

"It's more than that," Lulu fought. "I just know that he can be successful and maybe he's supposed to be successful because of my belief in him."

"Okay, you're thinking all of this assuming he wants someone else's help," Brook noted.

"I know that's your nice way of saying I sound like a crazy person," Lulu sighed. "But I have to try. I'm going to find a way to contact him and put the offer out there. If I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. And I can't risk that."


	4. The Offer

A/N – Jolu are finally meeting! I'm not going to delay it any further! Leave me a review so I know what you think!

**Chapter 3 – The Offer**

Lulu rummaged through her desk looking for a pen. She had everything ready to call Johnny's agent, but she couldn't find a pen to write down the information he gave her. It was such a trivial thing, but she was getting frustrated. She didn't want to be kept from helping Johnny any longer than she had to be. Something made her think that if she didn't get to him soon, he might give up and she couldn't let that happen. Not now, not ever.

She finally gave up her search and walked outside to her secretary's desk. Her secretary was on her lunch break, but her pen was laying on her desk, so Lulu quickly picked it up and stalked back to her office. She picked up her phone and dialed the number of Johnny's agent, who was apparently named Dave. It rang three times making Lulu worry no one would answer, but then someone picked up.

"Hello?" a man's voice said.

"Is this Dave?" Lulu asked.

"Yes," Dave replied. "Who is this?"

"This is Lulu from L&B Records," she answered. "You sent us a demo from Johnny Zacchara."

"Yes, I understood the answer was no," Dave muttered.

"Well, it was, but sometimes we like to follow up with the artist personally," Lulu lied.

"I don't see why you'd need to," Dave sighed.

"I'm not asking you to see why," Lulu said simply. "I'm asking you to give me your client's information so I can speak with him."

"Look, lady," Dave groaned. "I don't think you should waste your time. Johnny's not my client anymore and I don't think he's trying to land a deal anymore., either Follow up really isn't necessary."

"Look, Dave," Lulu snapped. "I don't care what you think. All I want is Johnny's number, and you're going to give it to me."

"Excuse me?" Dave asked.

"Johnny's number," Lulu said again. "Please."

Dave mumbled the number and promptly hung up the phone. Lulu smiled to herself in satisfaction. If Dave was to be trusted, she was getting Johnny's number just in time. She wondered if she should wait to call Johnny, but knew she couldn't. Every second she let pass was one second closer to Johnny giving up completely on his dream. And her dream for him. She dialed the number and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Zacchara," he answered and Lulu smiled instantly.

"Um," Lulu muttered, realizing she didn't really know what to say. "Hi."

"Hi..." Johnny said, drawing out the word a little. "Who is this?"

"I'm...um...Lulu Spencer," she said nervously. "I work for L&B Records."

"Well, then I don't know why you're calling me," Johnny sighed. "I didn't get signed by L&B Records."

"I-I know," Lulu said softly. "But I wanted you to."

"Thanks?" Johnny said as more of a question.

"This is crazy," Lulu said, more to herself. "I'm calling because I was hoping I could meet with you. Maybe discuss ways to get you signed."

"I don't really think there is a way," Johnny replied. "I've shopped around and no one wants what I have to offer."

"I know it seems that way, but...I just really would like to meet with you to discuss your music," Lulu said again.

"I...look, I've been doing this a really long time," Johnny started. "I've heard the word no what seems like a thousand times and I just don't think I can hear it again. And I'm pretty sure no matter what, at the end of our conversation you would be telling me no again. So, I'm sure you understand why I wouldn't want to waste my time."

"You've been doing this a really long time," Lulu repeated. "What's one thousand and one times of hearing no in comparison with one thousand if it means there's a possibility you'll hear a yes?"

Lulu waited a few minutes and heard nothing but silence. She knew he hadn't hung up, but he was also battling with himself. He was afraid of another rejection, but she wanted him to take just one more chance.

"I promise, if you'll just give me thirty minutes of your time, you won't hear from me again unless you want to," Lulu said, holding her breath as she waited for an answer.

"You're persistent," Johnny noted. "And it's kind of hard to say no to you."

"Does that mean you'll meet me?" Lulu asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Johnny agreed. "Where?"

"Um, I'll come to you," Lulu offered.

"No, that's not necessary," Johnny replied. "I know where Port Charles is, I've been there before. You can pick the place, though."

"How about Kelly's?" Lulu suggested. "We could have lunch or just coffee."

"Just coffee, I think is best," Johnny responded. "Is ten tomorrow good for you?"

"Yeah," Lulu said, smiling happily. "I'll see you then."

"Goodbye," Johnny muttered.

"Bye," Lulu replied before hanging up the phone.

Johnny couldn't fight the nostalgic smile that crossed his face as he drove into Port Charles for the second time in his life. This drive was supposed to be the start of his career so long ago. And somehow, he felt like maybe the second time was the charm. He found Kelly's, parked in the lot and walked inside. The atmosphere of the place was nice and he felt calm, something that surprised him. Usually meetings about his music made him very anxious. He looked around and saw a blonde haired beauty staring at him with a smile on her face. He was used to being looked at, but this woman seemed to recognize him. His suspicions were soon confirmed when she stood up and walked over to him.

"I'm Lulu," she said, extending her hand.

"I'm Johnny, but it feels like you already knew that," Johnny replied, shaking her hand.

Their eyes met and he found himself smiling at her. There was something about her that seemed so familiar, but he didn't know how that was possible. He did know that her hand, which was still in his, was remarkably soft. His eyes roamed over her face and he wondered why she seemed so honored to meet him. She seemed to come back to herself and dropped his hand and her head in embarrassment.

"Let's sit down," Lulu suggested.

Johnny agreed and followed her to the table she had been sitting at when he came in. The waitress came and he ordered a cup of coffee which was quickly brought to the table. All the while, Lulu sat quietly, staring at some notes she had.

"Maybe we could talk about why I'm here," Johnny said after the waitress left.

"Right," Lulu nodded, fidgeting anxiously. "You were right before when you said I already knew who you were. I've seen you before."

"Really?" Johnny asked, the gears in his mind turning. "You said your name was Lulu Spencer?"

"Yes," Lulu replied.

"Any relation to Luke?" Johnny wondered.

"My dad," Lulu answered. "That's how I know you. I was at the club the night you performed."

"And you remembered me all this time?" Johnny questioned.

"Yeah," Lulu muttered. "I thought you were really good, so I guess your name stuck with me. Then your music found its way across my desk."

"Um," Johnny said softly. "I don't mean to be rude, but why do you feel the need to explain all of this to me?"

"I don't know," Lulu sighed. "I just wanted you to know that someone believes in what you're doing, I guess. I did nine years ago when I heard you play in my dad's club and I still do. I thought maybe you needed to hear that."

Johnny offered her a smile and took a sip of his coffee. Belief. A random stranger wanted him to know that she believed in him. It was nice to hear, but he had resigned himself to no longer being a musician. Her coming along now was almost more painful than helpful.

"Well, thanks," Johnny said after awhile. "I would like to say it's inspiring, but...I've tried every record company I've ever heard of and no one is interested. I think music will just be a hobby from now on."

"Oh, no," Lulu said adamantly and Johnny eyed her curiously.

"Did your company decide to sign me?" Johnny asked.

"Well, no," Lulu admitted. "I just mean you can't give up."

"I think that's my decision," Johnny asserted.

"I guess so," Lulu conceded. "But you shouldn't."

"Why is that?" Johnny wondered.

"Because you deserve to get a contract," Lulu replied. "My boss loved your sound and your ability. But your songs were just-"

"Too sad," Johnny interrupted. "I've heard that before."

"So why not change?" Lulu asked.

"Because," Johnny shrugged. "Sharing music is like sharing a part of yourself."

"And you only want to share the part of you that's sad?" Lulu questioned.

"That's all I have to share," Johnny muttered.

Lulu's eyes widened slightly and then filled with compassion. She frowned and looked down at her notes and Johnny finished his cup of coffee.

"I want to help you," Lulu said softly, not looking up. "If you want any help."

"How could you help me?" Johnny wondered.

"I don't know," Lulu admitted. "I think you need to find the part of you that's happy. It has to be there somewhere. Maybe I can help you find it."

"No offense, but not everyone has a happy part of them," Johnny scoffed. "I appreciate you wanting to make the effort, but I think my career or lack thereof is a lost cause."

"I don't," Lulu offered. "You have so much talent. More than I've seen with any other client I have at L&B. There has to be a way to let that talent be heard by the world."

"How?" Johnny asked. "Are you going to turn me into a happy guy overnight?"

"No," Lulu replied. "No one can make you happy if you don't want to be."

"What does that mean?" Johnny wondered.

"It means that you have to look for happiness sometimes," Lulu answered. "It doesn't always come looking for you."

"Fair enough," Johnny nodded. "So, you think you can help me look for my happiness?"

"I think it's worth a try," Lulu shrugged. "It may not work out, but at least you'll know you really tried everything."

"You've given me a lot to think about," Johnny said softly. "I've been through a lot with my music and I just got used to the fact that it wasn't going to happen. Now that you're here, offering me another chance to try, I have to ask myself if I can risk it one more time. I hope you understand."

"Of course," Lulu said, smiling at him. "The offer is on the table for as long as you need to think about it."

"Thanks," Johnny muttered, standing up and offering her his hand one more time. "I have your number from before. I'll call you with my decision."

"I'll look forward to hearing from you," Lulu replied, shaking his hand.

Again, they let their hands linger together as they smiled at each other. Johnny dropped her hand slowly and turned to head to his car. Twenty four hours ago, he had thought his dream of being a professional musician was gone forever. But things had changed drastically and he seemed to have one more shot at being everything his mother wanted him to be, everything he wanted him to be.

And everything Lulu seemed to want him to be as well.


	5. Taking the Deal

A/N – I hope everyone is doing well! I know it has been awhile since I updated this, but I'm going to be focusing more on my stories and doing less one shots for the foreseeable future, so hopefully updates will speed up! Thanks for reading and I'd love a review!

**Chapter 4 – Taking the Deal**

Johnny left the kitchen and headed to the computer near the entrance of the restaurant where he worked. Being a waiter wasn't glamorous, but it had paid the bills during all of the years he was trying to get his music career off the ground. He got to the computer and clocked out, sighing to himself. It had paid the bills, but it was a dead end job. If he wasn't going to be a musician, what good had it done to wait tables for nine years? Now he was a failed musician who didn't have a college education or any real work experience which basically meant he had no future.

Well, that wasn't technically true.

He did still have that offer from Lulu, which was sitting in the back of his mind, begging to be pondered. He hadn't really allowed himself to consider that maybe she could help him. Whether it be some kind of ridiculous pride or something else, Johnny had always planned on doing it alone. And though he know Lulu only meant well, for some reason he couldn't bring himself to just accept her help.

Johnny walked out of the restaurant and made his way to his car, still thinking about Lulu. He couldn't really understand why she had wanted to help so much. It was like she saw something in him that wasn't there. Or at least that he couldn't see in himself. She had been so sure that there was this happiness inside of him just waiting to be unleashed and he knew it wasn't there. Every last bit of happiness died with his mother and it couldn't be revived through memories or anything else. Johnny had tried that in the past and it didn't work.

But for some reason, Johnny felt like Lulu could help him. She seemed to have a different perspective on things and maybe he needed that. Just someone who saw things differently than everyone else. Differently than he did. He liked that Lulu saw something different in him, it almost gave him hope that it was there. Maybe he just needed her to bring it out. And frankly, he wasn't ready to resign himself to a career as a waiter if there was a different perspective out there that could potentially make him the successful musician he wanted to be.

The only real problem left was him accepting Lulu's help. He didn't know what it was, but even knowing he needed her and wanting to let her help wasn't enough to make him actually pick up the phone and call her. It was just another fault he had. Reaching out for help was like showing weakness and he never wanted to do that. He didn't want to be weak at all. But the fact was, he had a weakness and it came through in his music.

Johnny turned the engine of his car on, but didn't move to shift the car into gear. Instead he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He flipped it open to the only picture inside, a photo of him with his mother at the piano when he was only eight.

"What do you think, Mom?" Johnny asked, looking at the photograph. "Can Lulu help me? Can she remind me of the happiness in my past? Or maybe bring some happiness to my present?"

Johnny traced the picture with his index finger and sighed. He half expected his mother to answer him and that worried him more than anything.

"I miss you," Johnny muttered. "I want to succeed like I promised you I would before you died. Not just for you, but for me. I think maybe if I could be a professional musician, I would have happiness again. How can I pass on an opportunity that might help me make it this time?"

Johnny smiled as he thought of Lulu's determination to help him. Maybe he was reaching, but he hadn't smiled at the thought of someone in such a long time. Did that mean something?

"Give me a sign, Mom," Johnny whispered. "Give me a reason to think it will work this time."

Johnny waited for a few minutes, but nothing happened. He didn't know what he was expecting exactly, maybe a gale force wind or maybe a literal sign that said "go for it", but it didn't come. He leaned over and turned up the radio, finally putting his car into gear and preparing to leave the parking lot, but he stopped when he heard the song. He hadn't heard "Lullaby" in nine years since he played it at Luke's club. That was the night Lulu had first heard him play.

"Alright, Mom," Johnny chuckled. "I'll work with her. Thanks for always being with me."

"So, when did Johnny say he would call?" Brook asked, digging through her refrigerator.

"He didn't," Lulu admitted.

It had been a couple of days since Lulu met with Johnny and she was practically sitting on her phone waiting to hear from him. Of course, she had no idea whether he would actually call. She was just really hoping he would.

"Well, how are you going to know if he wants your help?" Brook wondered, bringing a carton of Chinese food over to the couch with her.

"I told him to take as long as he needed to think about it and if he ever decided he wanted my help, to call," Lulu explained.

"Wow," Brook muttered. "It's even worse than I thought."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lulu questioned.

"Look, you're my friend, so I feel like I need to be honest with you," Brook said, placing her food on the coffee table and turning to face Lulu. "You are bordering on obsession with this guy."

"Brook-" Lulu tried, but Brook held up her hand.

"Let me finish," Brook said firmly. "In the entire time I've known you, I've heard more about him than any guy you've dated. You attract all these hot guys and none of them ever have a chance because they're not Johnny Zacchara. You're completely closed off to everyone but him and I'm worried about what might happen to you if he never calls. Or, worse even, he does call and once you help him with his music he moves on without giving you a second thought."

"You're talking like I'm in love with the guy or something," Lulu scoffed. "I have no romantic interest in Johnny at all. I just believe in his music."

"You know, I actually think you believe that," Brook laughed. "Look, you just need to be careful."

"I think you mean well, but you're way off base," Lulu said softly.

"So you don't think that if you help Johnny with his music, he'll suddenly fall madly in love with you?" Brook asked.

"Please," Lulu said, rolling her eyes. "My life isn't some romantic story and I don't pretend that it is."

"Okay," Brook sighed. "I'll leave it alone, but just remember what I said and tread carefully here."

"I don't need to, but if it makes you feel better, okay," Lulu replied.

"Thank you," Brook smiled. "Now, you need to split this Chinese food with me."

"Why?" Lulu wondered.

"Hello, half the food means half the calories," Brook laughed.

Johnny had been home a few hours, but he hadn't called Lulu yet. He didn't know exactly what hours she worked and he didn't want to interrupt any possible business she was doing. He was the one who needed her help, not the other way around. He didn't want to do anything to inconvenience her. Or maybe he was a little nervous about what to say. It was another downfall to never asking for help: when he was finally ready to, he didn't have a clue how to go about it.

Johnny glanced up at the clock and realized it was almost nine. If he didn't call soon, he would have to wait until the next day and he didn't want to put it off any longer. He picked up his phone and scrolled to Lulu's number which he had saved. He pressed the button to call and placed the phone to his ear, waiting patiently as the phone rang.

"Hello," Lulu said, breathing heavily.

"Lulu, it's Johnny Zacchara," he replied.

"Oh, it's good to hear from you," Lulu got out, her breathing still labored.

"Is everything okay?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah," Lulu answered. "I just had to run to answer the phone. I left it in my bag by the door earlier and I was in my bedroom changing...you don't want to hear this."

"It's okay," Johnny muttered, blushing for a reason he didn't understand. "If you're busy, I can call back."

"No, I'm not busy," Lulu assured. "I hope you calling means what I think it does."

"I...um...I considered your offer and I would like to take you up on it," Johnny replied.

"That's great," Lulu said excitedly. "What made you decide to work with me?"

"A combination of a couple of things," Johnny responded. "Are you sure you want to do it though? I don't want you to put too much on your plate because of me."

"No, I want to," Lulu smiled. "I want to get you that contract you deserve. So when do you want to meet?"

"I guess as soon as possible," Johnny shrugged. "I'd really like to get to work right away."

"So do I," Lulu agreed. "When are you free?"

"Pretty much every day after three," Johnny replied. "What about you?"

"After five," Lulu answered. "How is tomorrow around six?"

"Sounds good," Johnny nodded.

"Great, where do you want to meet?" Lulu questioned.

"Oh, I'll come to you," Johnny said quickly. "It's the least I could do."

"That's a lot of driving," Lulu muttered.

"I can handle it," Johnny promised.

"It's not fair," Lulu argued. "How about we take turns?"

"Is that a deal breaker?" Johnny wondered.

"You bet," Lulu laughed.

"Alright," Johnny conceded. "But, I'll come to you tomorrow."

"Okay," Lulu replied. "Um...I was thinking we could meet at my dad's old club. He and my mom are traveling now and he left it to me. The piano is still there and in good shape."

"Actually, that would be great," Johnny smiled. "I'd love to see the place again."

"I'd love to hear you play that piano again," Lulu admitted.

Johnny smiled to himself and shook his head. It was so strange to have someone actually care about some part of his life and he needed to be careful not to mistake her care for his music as care for him.

"So, tomorrow then?" Johnny asked.

"Tomorrow," Lulu confirmed.

"Bye, Lulu," Johnny muttered.

"Bye," Lulu replied.


	6. Simple Music, Complicated Lives

A/N – I really love all the comments I've gotten so far! I really think this chapter is fun and important at the same time and hopefully by the end you understand what I mean by that! Anyway, please read and enjoy and of course, a review would be greatly appreciated!

**Chapter 5 – Simple Music, Complicated Lives**

Lulu hurried around her apartment, trying to get everything together to meet Johnny. Her last meeting with a client had run late and caused her to be running late. Of course, if she hadn't changed three times because she couldn't decide what to wear, she might have been on time. She finally decided on a pair of jeans and a tank top and then grabbed her purse and rushed out the door. She got to her car as quickly as possible and drove the short distance to the club. Johnny was already there and waiting on her in his car when she pulled up. She got out and made her way over to him as he exited his car.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," Lulu offered.

"It's fine," Johnny shrugged.

"I promise, I won't make a habit of it," Lulu said, heading for the front door of the club.

"What kept you?" Johnny wondered.

"I had a client who wouldn't stop talking," Lulu answered, rolling her eyes. "Never mind that I already knew everything they had to say."

"Well, if you've got other things to do-" Johnny started.

"No, I am free for the rest of the evening," Lulu said, unlocking the door and pushing it open.

"Wow," Johnny muttered, stepping inside.

Lulu watched as he walked around and took in the room. He seemed to be remembering every little thing about the club and Lulu couldn't help but smile as Johnny climbed on stage and walked over to the piano. He ran a hand over the top of the sheet that was covering the piano and turned to look at Lulu who was still frozen by the door.

"Can I?" Johnny asked, tapping the piano.

"Yeah, of course," Lulu nodded, taking a small step forward.

Johnny smiled and tugged the sheet off of the piano. Lulu watched his eyes light up as the lacquer of the baby grand was revealed. He touched the piano reverently and slowly lifted the lid to expose the strings to his eyes. He carefully secured the lid and Lulu took another step forward, almost drawn to him and the way his eyes scrutinized the instrument he played. He finally tore his gaze away from the piano and glanced at Lulu with a smile.

"Are you...um...going to stand way over there the whole time?" Johnny wondered with a small laugh.

"Sorry, I was just letting you feel everything out," Lulu said softly, walking closer.

"I get in a sort of trance with pianos sometimes," Johnny apologized. "They're a thing of beauty."

"Well, that I can agree with," Lulu smiled.

"This one looks the exact same as I remembered it," Johnny replied, slipping the sheet off of the piano bench. "Sort of strange, actually. I think it's sitting in the exact same spot."

"Yeah," Lulu noted, setting her purse on a table. "My dad was never one for change. He pretty much left everything where it was, whether it was being used or not."

"Was the piano used a lot?" Johnny asked.

"No, the regular musician preferred his guitar," Lulu shrugged.

"Ah," Johnny nodded. "That probably made most people happy."

"There were always people here, so I guess it did," Lulu replied, finally stepping up on stage. "Not me, though."

"What is it about the piano that you like so much?" Johnny wondered, taking a seat in front of the piano.

"I don't know," Lulu muttered. "There's something so pure about it."

"Do you play?" Johnny questioned, motioning for her to sit next to him.

"Oh, no," Lulu said, shaking her head. "I just listen."

"Well, if you're going to help me, you're going to have to learn something," Johnny replied, tapping the spot next to him. "Come on."

"I really don't think you want that," Lulu warned. "We should focus on you."

"I thought this was all about making me happy," Johnny said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Not making you happy, helping you find happiness," Lulu corrected.

"What's the difference?" Johnny asked.

"I don't know, but I'm sure there is one," Lulu laughed. "I just know if I let you get away with this making you happy thing right now, I'm going to be doing whatever you want from now on."

"And that would be bad?" Johnny wondered.

"Yes," Lulu nodded, giggling softly.

"Fine," Johnny sighed. "But I still think you should come sit down and let me teach you something."

"Why do you want to?" Lulu asked.

"I don't know," Johnny shrugged. "I guess it doesn't seem fair to me that I'm the only one who benefits from this arrangement."

"That's not true," Lulu argued.

"What do you get out of it?" Johnny wondered.

"I...um...I get to help you," Lulu replied.

"Somehow, I don't think that's much of a reward," Johnny muttered.

"It is," Lulu said, locking eyes with him. "To me, it is."

"Well, to me, it's only right that I teach you at least a little bit," Johnny countered, patting the spot next to him again. "I promise I don't bite."

"Okay," Lulu relented, sitting down cautiously. "What are you going to teach me?"

"What all do you know?" Johnny asked.

"Not much," Lulu admitted. "Aren't there eighty-eight keys or something?"

"Right," Johnny laughed. "But that doesn't really help you as far as playing."

"Oh, good for me then," Lulu said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, I'm a decent teacher," Johnny smiled.

"Do you give lessons a lot?" Lulu wondered.

"Not really," Johnny answered. "I had a neighbor for awhile whose son wanted to learn and I helped him, but they moved."

"Was he good?" Lulu asked.

"Are you trying to distract me?" Johnny questioned with a smirk on his face.

Lulu laughed and looked down at the keys as Johnny just shook his head. He put his hands on the keys and played a short melody. Lulu smiled at the sound and met his stare again.

"Can you teach me that?" Lulu wondered.

"That may take some time," Johnny replied. "Why don't we start with something a little simpler?"

"Alright," Lulu agreed.

"Give me your right hand," Johnny instructed.

"What?" Lulu asked.

"So I can put your fingers where they need to be," Johnny explained.

"Oh," Lulu said, slowly putting her hand in his.

Johnny offered her a smile and she returned it automatically as she watched him place her fingers on the keys. He squeezed her hand and told her to relax as he arranged her fingers just the way he wanted them.

"Now," Johnny said softly. "Your left hand, please?"

Lulu lifted her hand and he arranged it the way it needed to be as well. He explained to her what order to press the keys and she listened carefully. When he told her to, she played the notes just as he had instructed and she heard the first bar of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" fill the air. She laughed as she finished and he smiled at her.

"Very good," Johnny complimented.

"You're a great teacher," Lulu replied.

"I think you just didn't give yourself enough credit before," Johnny smiled. "Ready to learn the next part?"

"I have to learn more than one part?" Lulu asked.

"I guess not, if you don't want to," Johnny shrugged. "I just assumed you would want to learn a whole song."

"Well, we're supposed to be working on your music," Lulu muttered. "Not mine...or whatever this is."

"Right," Johnny frowned.

"Why do you frown when I bring up working on your music?" Lulu asked.

"I don't know," Johnny answered. "I guess I just don't know where to start."

"Well, you can tell me about yourself," Lulu suggested.

"Like what?" Johnny wondered.

"Like, why you've kept going for so long," Lulu explained. "Most people would have given up, but not you. Why is that?"

"This is my dream," Johnny replied. "I guess my mom taught me to never give up on your dreams."

"Mine taught me the same," Lulu smiled. "I just don't understand something."

"What?" Johnny asked.

"What happened to make your music so sad?" Lulu questioned.

"Excuse me?" Johnny countered.

"I can see in your eyes when you talk about music and earlier when you were teaching me the song how much you love playing," Lulu continued. "You seem to be genuinely happy when you're not thinking about playing professionally because it's your dream, but just playing for fun. But when finding happiness and making your dream come true is the subject, your eyes dim. It's like the pressure of making it has taken away the reason you wanted to make it in the first place. And I just know that there is something else, too. The reason you feel so much pressure to make it is because something happened, isn't it?"

"Are you done diagnosing me yet?" Johnny asked, his voice like ice.

"What?" Lulu replied.

"You don't know a damn thing about my life just because you spent," Johnny paused, checking his watch, "forty-five minutes with me. You don't know what I want or anything about pressure I may or may not be feeling. Nothing happened to make my music sad, it's just the way it is."

"Why are you lashing out like this?" Lulu questioned.

"Why were you judging me?" Johnny countered.

"I wasn't judging you," Lulu scoffed.

"Right," Johnny said, rolling his eyes and standing up. "No one is ever judging me or trying to tell me why I'm so screwed up."

"I don't think you're screwed up," Lulu said, following after him as he walked to the door. "I just think-"

"Stop," Johnny barked, turning on his heel to face her. "I don't care what you think about who I am or my life."

"Then why are you running away?" Lulu asked.

Johnny stared Lulu down, but she didn't cower, matching his stare with one of her own. For a few breaths, neither moved, but then Johnny turned and walked out the door, letting it slam behind him. Lulu groaned and buried her face in her hands, trying to figure out exactly what had happened.


	7. Revealing Emotion

A/N – So, if the last chapter left you going "huh?" then you are exactly where you should be. I think this chapter will be to everyone's liking. Either way, let me know what you think! Enjoy!

**Chapter 6 – Revealing Emotion**

"So, he just stormed out?" Brook asked, picking at the salad in front of her.

"Yeah," Lulu sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I mean, one minute everything was fine and the next he was so angry. I don't know what I did."

"No, Lulu, it wasn't your fault," Brook replied. "He can't be so sensitive if he wants to be in this business."

"I know," Lulu muttered. "But, I was sort of judging I guess. You know how I can be when I just start speaking my mind."

"Lulu, listen to me," Brook said seriously. "He needs you to be honest and straight forward if he's going to be successful. If he can't work like that, then he probably can't work with you."

Lulu sighed again and took a bite of her salad. She chewed slowly, contemplating what Brook was saying. In her head, Lulu knew Brook was right. Johnny was being overly sensitive and unreasonable the previous night when he got so angry over her question and they could never work together if he couldn't trust her enough to open up to her. But another part of her still felt guilty about the fight with Johnny.

"Lulu," Brook said again, causing Lulu to look at her. "It's not your fault."

"I don't think you understand," Lulu frowned.

"I think you're making it too complicated," Brook countered.

"Maybe," Lulu shrugged. "I just feel like I have to approach Johnny differently."

"Why?" Brook asked.

"Because he's different," Lulu answered. "He may not have admitted it, but I know he went through something in his life that hurt him."

"We all have, Lulu," Brook replied. "Everyone has suffering."

"I know, I just-" Lulu started.

"You're just determined to help, no matter what," Brook said knowingly.

"Are you still stuck on that I'm in love with Johnny theory?" Lulu questioned.

"Lulu, the guy treated you pretty badly," Brook pointed out. "Anyone else, and you would be done with them. Can you at least admit that?"

"Fine," Lulu sighed. "If anyone else had yelled at me, I probably would never deal with them again."

"So, why are you going to keep working with Johnny?" Brook wondered.

"Maybe I won't," Lulu shrugged. "I mean, he may not even want to work with me anyway."

"But if he does?" Brook asked.

"Then he's going to have to do some apologizing before I'll agree to try again," Lulu replied.

"What if he doesn't want to work with you anymore?" Brook questioned. "Will you be okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Lulu countered.

"I'll take that as a no," Brook muttered.

"Yes, I'll be fine," Lulu said, glaring slightly at Brook. "I'm not somehow dependent on Johnny."

"Says you," Brook said, rolling her eyes.

"You have a lot of faith in me," Lulu said sarcastically.

"I do, normally," Brook replied. "But in this instance, you're too emotionally involved and you can't be. Otherwise you may get hurt."

"What do you want me to do?" Lulu asked.

"If Johnny comes back, wanting to work with you, make him work for it," Brook explained. "Don't let him off the hook. Lulu Spencer _**never**_ lets anyone off the hook and you can't let Johnny be any different. Even if he is different to you. You can't let him know that."

"Okay," Lulu agreed. "But I doubt he'll want to work with me anyway."

"And if he doesn't, I want you to accept it," Brook said seriously. "Don't go to him."

"I won't," Lulu promised. "Brook?"

"Hmm?" Brook asked.

"Do you think Johnny will still want to work with me?" Lulu wondered.

"If he has any sense at all," Brook smiled.

Johnny drove into Port Charles and pulled out the directions he had printed off of the computer earlier. He wasn't sure it was a good idea to just show up at L&B Records and ask for Lulu, but he didn't know what else to do. After the events of the previous night, a face to face apology was definitely necessary. He felt terrible for snapping at Lulu and felt even worse about storming out. The worst part was, it was pretty normal behavior for him. He often let his temper get the best of him when he felt like he was being judged and in the moment with Lulu, that was exactly how he had perceived the situation. Of course, when he had time to cool off, he realized she was simply asking a question. Sure it was a personal question, but it wasn't as if she was going to use the information against him in some way. Lulu genuinely wanted to help him and he had alienated her for trying.

He pulled into the parking lot and walked toward the building slowly, trying to figure out what to say when he got inside. He opened the door and saw a receptionist sitting behind a desk, talking to someone on the phone. Johnny approached the desk and the receptionist smiled, putting the person on the phone on hold to speak with him.

"How can I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"I was hoping to see Lulu Spencer," Johnny replied.

"Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist questioned.

"No, I don't," Johnny answered.

"Well, Miss Spencer sees people by appointment only," the receptionist said, frowning at him.

"It's really important that I see her," Johnny continued. "Do you think you could make an exception?"

"I guess I could ask her," the receptionist muttered.

"I'd appreciate it," Johnny smiled.

The receptionist asked for Johnny's name and then finished her phone call before disappearing behind a door that Johnny assumed led to the offices of the music producers. Johnny wondered if Lulu would actually want to see him or if she would tell the receptionist to have him banned from the building. Johnny couldn't blame her if it was the latter. The receptionist reappeared and Lulu was right behind her. Lulu glanced at him and didn't offer much of an expression, but signaled for him to come with her. Johnny followed as she led him to her office, noticing how tense she seemed to be. She ushered him into her office and closed the door behind them.

"Why did you want to see me?" Lulu asked, sitting behind her desk.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday," Johnny answered, taking a seat as well.

"You didn't think to call first?" Lulu wondered.

"I thought I should do it face to face," Johnny explained.

"Oh," Lulu sighed. "Well, go ahead."

"I'm sorry, Lulu," Johnny said sincerely. "I was way out of line, talking to you like that. Yelling at you, actually. I don't have a good excuse, all I can say is I'm not used to talking about my life with people. No one's ever really been interested before, so I wasn't prepared for you to be either."

"I told you I was interested," Lulu said softly.

"In my music," Johnny replied. "I didn't really think that meant my life."

"Your music is a big part of your life, isn't it?" Lulu asked.

"Yeah," Johnny answered.

"Well, that makes your life interesting to me," Lulu shrugged.

"I guess I never looked at it that way," Johnny admitted.

"I don't know if I can just accept your apology and move on," Lulu muttered.

"Would it help if I answered your question from yesterday?" Johnny wondered.

"Probably," Lulu smiled.

"Alright," Johnny nodded. "I guess I should start from the beginning. My dad was killed in a car accident when I was one. I never knew anything about him other than what my mom told me. But when I got older I realized it was a blessing that I never knew him because then I didn't have to miss him. Like I miss my mom."

"What happened to her?" Lulu asked softly.

"She was diagnosed with cancer when I was seventeen," Johnny explained. "The doctors only gave her six months, but she lasted almost twice that. It's like she knew how much I needed her and she wanted to give me as much time with her as possible. She was my entire inspiration for music when she was alive and she still is. I guess that's why my music is sad now. No matter how hard I try, I can't look back and remember her as the woman who raised me and showed me a piano for the first time. All I can remember is holding her hand as she slipped away."

Johnny shook his head and stood up, turning his face from Lulu. He was getting emotional and he always hated when he did that. He could hear Lulu standing up from her chair as well and it wasn't long before he felt her presence behind him.

"I know how hard it must have been for you to tell me all of that," Lulu whispered. "And I know that it's going to be hard for you to do what I'm about to ask, but I need to do it anyway."

"Okay," Johnny nodded, still facing away.

"Look at me," Lulu said simply. "Don't hide your emotions."

Johnny stiffened slightly and took a deep breath. He had never let himself be vulnerable in front of someone the way Lulu wanted him to. And he wasn't sure he could be that vulnerable.

"You can trust me, Johnny," Lulu promised.

Johnny smiled sadly at those words and turned to face her. She looked him over as he stood before her, showing someone the pain of his life for the first time. Lulu slipped her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"So...um...what now?" Johnny asked.

"I don't know," Lulu shrugged.

"Are you still okay with working with me?" Johnny wondered.

"Do you promise not to try and hide things from me anymore?" Lulu countered.

"Yeah," Johnny nodded. "I mean, I can't promise not to be a little difficult with talking about stuff, but I'll try to be better at...sharing."

"Good," Lulu smiled. "Because I do want to continue working with you. I still think we'll make a good team."

"So, where do we go from here?" Johnny questioned.

"I guess we have to figure out how to make you remember your mom the way you want to," Lulu answered.

Johnny smiled and looked down at their hands, which were still joined. He had to admit, it felt good to hold someone's hand again and receive their strength, rather than giving up his own. His mind flashed back to a doctor's visit when he was a kid where he received a shot. His mom was perfectly healthy and holding his hand, telling him it would be okay. Johnny locked eyes with Lulu and noticed her looking at him with a wide smile. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly.

"I should go," Johnny muttered. "You probably have work."

"Right," Lulu replied. "I'll call you about meeting."

"Great," Johnny said, slowly letting go of her hand. "I'll look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for giving me another chance."

"You're welcome," Lulu offered. "Thank you for trusting me."

Johnny gave her a final smile and left her office. He walked all the way to his car, the smile still firmly on his face as he found himself able to access happy memories of his mom that he thought were long gone. He only wondered for a second why he was suddenly experiencing some kind of happiness. He looked back at the building as he reached his car.

He knew exactly what was making him happy again.


	8. Gratitude

A/N – I know it's been like two weeks on this story and I apologize. I'm trying to keep it under that, but hopefully you all understand that sometimes life is busy. I was really encouraged by the reaction to the last chapter and hopefully this one will continue that trend! Love to all, please leave a review!

**Chapter 7 – Gratitude**

Johnny and Lulu had been meeting for two weeks and trying out different things with Johnny's music. They weren't getting very far and Lulu could see Johnny was becoming frustrated, as was she. They had talked about everything in his past and it didn't seem to help him when it came to composing music. Lulu decided it was time to go into overdrive, so instead of taking Saturday night off, they were meeting at her dad's old club. Lulu brought some Chinese food with her and opened the door, smiling as she heard Johnny playing inside. She slipped in as quietly as possible, not wanting to interrupt the surprisingly happy tune that was coming from the stage. But her presence was given away as her purse strap busted and all of her belongings fell to the ground. Johnny stopped playing immediately and was at her side, helping her gather all the scattered items on the floor.

"I brought food," Lulu said, standing up after they had finished.

"Great," Johnny smiled. "I hope you got extra egg rolls."

"Actually, I did," Lulu laughed. "They're my favorite."

"You have good taste," Johnny replied.

"What were you playing before?" Lulu wondered, sitting down in a booth.

"I don't know," Johnny said thoughtfully. "I guess I didn't even really know that I was playing."

"How is that possible?" Lulu asked.

"I was sitting there and trying to work on making happy music, but I was just coming up with the same old stuff," Johnny explained. "So, I stopped and started thinking about...something else. And the next thing I knew, I heard you come in."

"Well, whatever you were thinking about was obviously good," Lulu said, prying gently. "What was it?"

"Uh..." Johnny said, stirring the fried rice in front of him. "I guess I was thinking of the first time I ever played here."

Lulu studied him carefully and was almost positive he was lying. She took a few bites of her food and tried not to notice how he kept glancing at her nervously, clearly worried she was going to press him further. Lulu decided it was best to let him have his secret, so long as he could tap into this new found muse and help him generate music that would finally land him the contract he deserved.

Johnny carried their empty food containers to the trash and stopped to wash his hands. He looked over at Lulu who was being quieter than usual. He knew she didn't believe his lie about why he had been playing happier music when she came in. He honestly hadn't realized he was doing it, though. The last thing he remembered was thinking of Lulu and how much fun he was having working with her, even if the work didn't seem to be paying off. When Lulu's purse fell, he had been snapped from his trance and took his hands off the piano, wondering what the music he had been playing sounded like.

"Are you ready to get started or are you going to stand there all day?" Lulu asked, already sitting by the piano on stage.

"I guess I zoned out," Johnny replied, walking her way.

"Second time today," Lulu muttered.

"I'm sorry," Johnny offered.

"It's no big deal," Lulu shrugged. "I guess I'm just wondering who this girl is."

"What?" Johnny asked.

"Oh, come on," Lulu said, rolling her eyes. "You were playing happy music earlier and just now you were staring off into space with a big grin plastered on your face. In my experience, those are signs of meeting someone."

"I haven't met anyone," Johnny argued, sitting behind the piano. "I told you why I was playing differently already."

"Right," Lulu nodded. "So, what was it about your first performance here that made you so happy?"

"I don't know," Johnny sighed, trying to think of a reason. "I guess I just remember feeling really good about myself that day. It was my first paying gig and a lot of people showed up. And they even clapped."

"You were good," Lulu remembered.

"I was good enough," Johnny replied. "I think that was the first time I ever really thought I might be good enough to do it professionally."

"Why did you pick the song 'Lullaby' to be your opening number?" Lulu wondered.

"My mom," Johnny said softly. "She used to sing it to me when I was little. And she...um...she actually sang it to me the day she died."

"Oh, Johnny," Lulu whispered, sitting next to him and immediately reaching for his hand. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Johnny muttered. "Actually, that's one memory of my mom that I don't think of as being sad. Even though she was really frail at that point...I don't know...she wasn't at the same time. She was giving me the last bit of strength she had. And telling me I would be okay."

Johnny met Lulu's eyes and noticed the tears glistening in hers. He squeezed her hand, almost to comfort her. A tear slipped from the corner of her eyes and he reached out automatically to wipe it away gently.

"I'm sorry for making you cry," Johnny offered.

"Don't be," Lulu said, shaking her head. "I'm just an emotional person."

"We're very different in that way," Johnny said, laughing softly.

"But not different in our taste of music," Lulu replied. "Or our mother's tastes, I guess."

"Did your mom sing Billy Joel to you?" Johnny asked.

"She didn't sing," Lulu answered. "But she played records for me every night before bed. 'Lullaby' was always my favorite."

"I guess that's why I got your attention," Johnny noted.

"Yeah," Lulu nodded. "I was really happy to see you at the piano in the first place. And then when you played the first chord, I was hooked."

"I hope I wasn't too disappointing," Johnny muttered.

"You weren't at all," Lulu replied. "I thought you were amazing. There was something so distinctly different about the way you played. And there still is. I guess it's the motivation you have, I don't know. Whatever it is, it sets you apart in my mind."

"Thank you," Johnny blushed.

"I should be the one to thank you," Lulu smiled. "Hearing you play that night...it changed my life."

"How?" Johnny wondered.

"I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life," Lulu explained. "Everything bored me to tears. But the night I heard you play, things sort of clicked. I wanted to be involved in music some way. I have no talent of my own-"

"Oh come on, you play a mean 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' on the piano," Johnny teased.

"As I was saying," Lulu said, playfully rolling her eyes. "I have no talent of my own, but there are plenty of people out there who do have talent. They just need to be heard and produced."

"Like me?" Johnny asked.

"Like you," Lulu nodded. "Although I thought you would have a deal long before I ever finished college and began working."

"I sort of did, too," Johnny muttered.

"You'll have one soon," Lulu said supportively. "You're already playing happy music. You just need lyrics now."

"I guess we should get to work then," Johnny said, looking down at her hand that was still in his.

"Probably," Lulu giggled. "We've been talking for almost an hour."

"It's easy to talk to you," Johnny smiled, meeting her eyes again. "You've really helped me...with a lot of things."

"What kind of things?" Lulu asked.

"I guess accepting the past," Johnny shrugged. "For so long, I wanted to go back. I wanted to live in a time where my mom was alive and it was keeping me from living right now. I still wish my mom was here, but...I guess I see now that I can't go back, no matter what. I'm ready to move forward with my life. That means being here with you and...making happy music."

"You just needed someone to listen and to show you they wanted to listen," Lulu replied. "I didn't really do anything."

"I guess I'm out of practice with my manners," Johnny muttered, smiling to himself.

"What?" Lulu questioned.

"I'm trying to thank you," Johnny clarified. "But I guess I'm not doing a good job."

"You're doing a good job, I just...I don't think you need to thank me," Lulu said softly.

"But I want to," Johnny whispered. "So...thank you."

"You're welcome," Lulu murmured.

Johnny smiled and squeezed her hand again. He couldn't help but notice how close they were sitting on the piano bench. It was unnerving to him for some reason. He looked down at their hands and slowly laced their fingers together, wanting to see what her reaction would be. She inhaled loudly and he looked up at her again, trying to read her face. She was staring at him, wondering what his next move would be and he was wondering the same thing. He leaned closer to her, glancing down at her lips and then back to her eyes. She swallowed, but she didn't move and Johnny took that as a good sign. He moved slowly, giving her every opportunity to shy away if she wanted to. His lips grazed hers, a whisper of a kiss at first. She leaned into the kiss and he pressed his lips to hers more firmly. Their lips melded together perfectly, creating a comfort inside Johnny he had never experienced before. His free hand came to her face and he tilted her head so he could deepen the kiss. Lulu's free hand slid up his chest and Johnny didn't know if she was going to push him away or pull him closer.

All he knew was he was hoping for the latter.


	9. Lines You Can't Cross

A/N – I find this story very easy to get on a roll with. Just something about it, not sure what it is, but I hope it's a good thing. You'll have to let me know. I really enjoyed all the comments from the last update! It's always a little nerve-racking to do a first kiss so late into a story because the anticipation is so great and it can easily be a let down. It seems as if everyone was pleased and that makes me happy! Wow, I'm rambling. I shall cease and let you read! Comments are love!

**Chapter 8 – Lines You Can't Cross**

Lulu couldn't help but smile as Johnny talked about learning to live in the moment. Honestly, she felt as if that applied to her as well. She had been living in the past for so long, wondering about Johnny and how he was doing. Now she knew all about him and she needed to help him move forward so she could move forward as well.

"That means being here with you and...making happy music," Johnny finished.

"You just needed someone to listen and to show you they wanted to listen," Lulu replied. "I didn't really do anything."

"I guess I'm out of practice with my manners," Johnny muttered, smiling to himself.

"What?" Lulu questioned.

"I'm trying to thank you," Johnny clarified. "But I guess I'm not doing a good job."

"You're doing a good job, I just...I don't think you need to thank me," Lulu said softly.

"But I want to," Johnny whispered. "So...thank you."

"You're welcome," Lulu murmured.

Lulu could feel her heart beating quickly inside her chest as Johnny squeezed her hand. The moment was almost more than she could bear. Lulu watched Johnny as he glanced toward their joined hands. He slowly linked their fingers, causing her to inhale sharply. It was such an intimate gesture and something she wasn't at all expecting. His eyes met Lulu's again and she tried not to blush as he studied her features. She was hoping he was going to kiss her and part of her was wondering why she was hoping that. His eyes swept to her lips and then back to her eyes, apparently seeking permission to kiss her as he leaned in slightly. Lulu swallowed hard, but didn't move, giving him the answer he was looking for. He moved slowly towards her and their lips touched briefly, a short, light kiss. Lulu sought his lips again and he kissed her more firmly. The kiss was so tender and Lulu felt all rational thought leave her body. Johnny's hand touched her face and he tilted her head back, deepening the kiss. Lulu let her free hand slip up to his shoulder, trying to decide whether to stop what was happening or keep it going. As much as she was enjoying herself, there were lines that could not be uncrossed once they went beyond them.

"Johnny," Lulu whispered, pulling away.

"What?" Johnny asked, trying to kiss her again.

"No, we shouldn't," Lulu muttered, evading his kiss.

"We already did," Johnny noted.

"I know, but we shouldn't have," Lulu said, standing up. "We're working together. That's it."

"Okay," Johnny nodded. "Sorry, I guess. I just...it seemed like you wanted me to kiss you."

"I...what I want is for you to make great music and get a contract," Lulu said, trying not to show how flustered she was.

"That's what I want, too," Johnny replied. "But, it's not like we can't be more than just coworkers."

"It is like that," Lulu argued. "We can't be romantically involved."

"Then why did you kiss me back?" Johnny asked.

Lulu took several deep breaths, trying to think of a way to let Johnny down easily because she didn't want to hurt him. But, because she had no real excuse, she couldn't think of anything that wouldn't cause him pain. Instead, she turned and ran toward the door, slowing down only briefly to grab her purse.

Johnny played a few notes on the piano as he sat, wondering why Lulu had run away from him. He didn't really have to wonder, her behavior was pretty clear. Their kiss had been a mistake and she didn't want any more than to help with his music. Which she was doing. He had a desire inside of him to play the brightest and lightest of melodies, just by thinking her name. It didn't matter that she didn't want him in the same way he wanted her.

At least that's what he was trying to tell himself.

When he thought of her literally running away from him, all of the joyful music went away. It was replaced by the normal, depressing tunes he had been playing for years and he hated it. He hated that she could effect him so much. He hated that she had gotten to him so quickly. He hated that he was still thinking about her even though she had run out on him.

"Have you always been so pathetic, Zacchara?" Johnny asked aloud.

He sighed and closed his eyes. He couldn't seem to _**not**_ think about Lulu. He decided to use the good thoughts he had of her and work on his music. He placed his hands on the keys and let his mind wander back to the feeling of his lips touching Lulu's. It was soft and sweet and his melody matched that. He was filled with inspiration and his fingers worked quickly over the keys. Suddenly, the notes in his head were accompanied by words. He paused and quickly reached for a pencil and a piece of paper that he had sitting on top of the piano. He scribbled down the words in his head and the notes that went along with them.

When he finally finished everything he had so far, he placed the music on the piano in front of him. He played the notes and sang what he had written. He stopped to fix a few things and then started again. He smiled as he finished. It was only a verse and a chorus, but it was probably the best thing he had written in his life.

Lulu knocked furiously on Brook's door and tried not to cry. She was such an idiot. Brook finally came to the door and opened it with a concerned look on her face. She noticed the tears in Lulu's eyes and instantly ushered her inside. Lulu fell into Brook's couch and finally let the tears fall.

"What happened?" Brook asked.

"Johnny kissed me," Lulu cried.

"Why is that something to cry over?" Brook wondered. "You like Johnny."

"Ugh, I am so tired of you saying that," Lulu said angrily.

"It's true," Brook replied. "And I know you didn't want to admit it, but if he kissed you he can obviously tell, too. The only way him kissing you is a bad thing is if you faked not wanting it."

Lulu looked away and Brook frowned, knowingly.

"You lied?" Brook questioned.

"I had to," Lulu sighed. "I couldn't let something happen."

"Why not?" Brook asked.

"Because, it would just blow up later," Lulu answered. "I mean, we're only supposed to be partners. Anything else is just too complicated."

"Life is complicated, Lulu," Brook said seriously. "What's the big deal if you and Johnny like each other and start to date?"

"If I started dating Johnny, it could hurt his chances of getting a contract," Lulu muttered.

"Please, my dad would never turn away talent," Brook said, rolling her eyes. "You're afraid of something else and you might as well just tell me what it is."

"I...well..." Lulu said, wiping her eyes. "What if he doesn't really want me?"

"He kissed you," Brook reminded her.

"Yeah, but we were talking about our lives and he was thanking me for helping him," Lulu explained. "He could have been caught up in the moment."

"Did it really seem like that?" Brook wondered.

"I don't know," Lulu said softly. "Honestly, he just seemed to want to kiss me. I guess that's what I'm most afraid of."

"That he does want you?" Brook asked.

"Yes," Lulu nodded. "I thought everything that I felt...feel was just a one way thing. If it's not, I'm not sure how to handle it."

"You kiss him back," Brook laughed.

"You're no help," Lulu said, shaking her head.

"I'm serious," Brook replied. "I don't understand what the dilemma is. If you both want each other, you just get together."

"I can't do that," Lulu sighed. "I like him. I mean, I _**really**_ like him. Maybe he wants me now, but what happens when he gets his contract? He'll probably have tours and stuff. All kinds of women who are more interesting and prettier than I am will be there and all over him. It would be so easy for him to forget all about me and I get burned."

"So, you're just playing it all out in your head and deciding that the possibility of bad is worth giving up all the good?" Brook questioned.

"It's not as simple as you make it out to be," Lulu groaned.

"No, it is," Brook argued. "You just don't want to see it."

"Maybe it was that simple before, but it's not now," Lulu mumbled.

"Okay, that may be true," Brook conceded. "But, you can fix it. Just be honest with Johnny."

"I don't think I can be," Lulu said sadly. "Not about this."

"Why?" Brook wondered.

"Because, his contract has to be a top priority," Lulu said seriously. "Whatever I'm feeling or he's feeling should be second to that. And he needs my help to get the contract which means I can't jeopardize my ability to help him get it by starting a relationship and then having it fail."

"You're still assuming it would fail," Brook pointed out.

"It's more likely to fail than to succeed," Lulu countered.

"Did you ever think that if he really wants you, rejecting him might hurt more than anything?" Brook asked.

"What do you mean?" Lulu questioned.

"You won't share the details about Johnny's life with me because you don't want to betray his confidence and I understand that," Brook answered. "But it's not hard for me to figure out he's been through a lot and that's why his music is so sad. Do you really think pretending like you don't have feelings for him will help him make happy music?"

"I don't know what I think," Lulu muttered. "I want what's best for Johnny and I pretty much have no idea what that is."

"It could be you," Brook smiled.

"Or I could make everything worse," Lulu replied.

"That's what you're really scared of, isn't it?" Brook asked. "You're afraid of hurting him in some way?"

"I've wanted him for such a long time," Lulu admitted. "Dreamed about him for nine years. I know a lot about him now, but what if I still want the man I dreamed about? That's not fair to Johnny."

"Because no real person can ever live up to a dream," Brook nodded in understanding.

"Exactly," Lulu muttered.

"In the last nine years, did you ever dream about kissing him?" Brook questioned.

"Of course," Lulu answered.

"And was that dream better than the reality?" Brook asked with a smile.

Lulu smiled to herself, but she didn't answer. She didn't want to admit it out loud because it seemed too private to share. But the truth was, every aspect of the real Johnny was better than her dreams of him. And the kiss had been ten times better than she had imagined. She looked at Brook who was still smiling at her, knowingly.

"That's what I thought," Brook laughed.


	10. An Inspired Song

A/N – I don't do this often, but just a reminder that ALL words in this chapter are mine. That includes the lyrics, so there is no copying or using as your own. I'm not really worried, but I thought I should put a disclaimer out there just in case. Anyway, on to the chapter. Please leave a review!

**Chapter 9 – An Inspired Song**

Johnny keyed into the old club and looked around for Lulu, but she wasn't there yet. He assumed she was just still at work, but a part of him wondered if she would actually show up. They hadn't met in a week and when Lulu finally contacted him it had been by text only. Things were definitely going to be awkward if she did come. His question to her the last time they were together still hung in the air.

_Then why did you kiss me back?_

He still wanted the answer. But he knew he couldn't push her or he might lose the opportunity to work with her altogether which was the last thing he wanted. She had been a great asset to him and his music and he wasn't ready to let that go.

The door opened behind him again and Lulu stopped short for a moment. She regained her composure and walked by him quickly as she headed toward the stage. Johnny shook his head, wondering exactly how this was all going to work out.

"Sorry it's been so long," Lulu said, turning to face him. "This week was one of those crazy paperwork weeks and at one point I thought I would never see daylight again."

"If you're too busy for this, I understand," Johnny replied.

"No, it's just been...I had a busy week," Lulu stammered. "Plus, I wasn't sure you would want to see me at first."

"I'm not upset or anything," Johnny muttered. "It was...you know...whatever."

"I feel like we should-" Lulu tried.

"No, we shouldn't," Johnny cut in. "It's embarrassing enough as it is."

"Why?" Lulu asked.

"Rejection is often embarrassing," Johnny laughed.

"Right," Lulu nodded. "I'm really sorry."

"No, you shouldn't be sorry, I'm sorry," Johnny offered. "And an idiot, why would you...it's over now, let's just...wow, this is awkward."

"Are you upset with me?" Lulu wondered after a few moments.

"Of course not," Johnny answered. "Why would I be?"

"I sort of ran out and it was really...unprofessional," Lulu explained.

"Unprofessional," Johnny said softly. "That's not how I would describe it."

"How would you describe it?" Lulu questioned.

"I have no idea," Johnny sighed. "I understand though, so we really...we really should just put it behind us."

"How can you understand?" Lulu asked.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out," Johnny replied. "There's pretty much only one reason you would have done it. I get it. I think we should just try to get on with things."

"Right," Lulu muttered. "I really am sorry."

"Can you stop apologizing?" Johnny requested.

"Yeah, I'm...right," Lulu laughed.

"If you don't want to work with me today-" Johnny began.

"No, that's why I'm here," Lulu interjected. "I want everything to be okay with us...not that there is an us, ugh. You know what I'm saying. I just want to help with your music and if you still think I can, then I'm here."

"I think that you can," Johnny said, offering her a small smile. "Actually, I have something I came up with, if you want to hear it."

"Of course," Lulu said enthusiastically. "I didn't know that you were getting close to writing again. The last time we talked, you said you didn't have anything."

"It all sort of came at once," Johnny admitted. "I wasn't expecting it, but...I just got the tune and the words came and-"

"There are words, too?" Lulu jumped in excitedly.

"Yeah, it's a verse and a chorus," Johnny nodded.

"That's so exciting," Lulu said, smiling widely. "Well, come up here."

She waved him toward the stage and he laughed. He walked slowly and was careful not to walk too close to her as he made his way to the piano. She seemed to notice his distance and he hoped it wasn't going to make things worse between them. He honestly had no idea how to deal with the situation he found himself in with Lulu.

"So, you want me to just play it?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah," Lulu answered. "I'll just listen."

"I'm a littler nervous," Johnny muttered, placing his hands on the keys.

"Don't be," Lulu replied. "It's just me."

Johnny smiled at her and looked down to the keys. If only she knew that she had inspired his song, then maybe she would understand. He pressed down on the keys and the melody rang out through the almost empty club. When it came time, he added the words to the song.

_Wanna continue with a heart that's black_

_Not really caring about the things I lack_

_But one look in your eyes and I can't go back_

_Back to my life without love_

_I was a train running out of track_

_Then you came along and sealed my cracks_

_I'm so thankful I don't have to go back_

_Back to my life without love_

_My life without love was my life without you_

_Never knowing emotion that was real or true_

_Feeling this way is something I was afraid of_

_But now I'm only scared of my life without love_

He finished the melody that he had so far and stopped, smiling to himself before looking up to Lulu. Her eyes were glassy with tears and she had a hand pressed over her heart as she smiled at him. He took a deep, nervous breath and she shook her head, wiping underneath her eyes as she tried to think of what to say.

"I don't know if the tears are good or bad," Johnny chuckled.

"Good," Lulu said softly. "Really good."

"So...you liked it?" Johnny asked cautiously.

"It was amazing," Lulu smiled. "I can't even...it was just more than I expected."

"Thanks, I guess," Johnny muttered.

"Not that I didn't think you were talented," Lulu said quickly. "But that...it was so beautiful. And it still had that honest feel, which is what makes you so unique. I loved it."

"Yeah?" Johnny questioned.

"Yes," Lulu nodded. "I don't think you need me after all."

"No, I do," Johnny replied.

"You wrote this song all on your own," Lulu pointed out.

"But I would never have been in a place where I could write it if it wasn't for you," Johnny continued. "I had forgotten all my happy memories and..."

"And?" Lulu wondered.

Johnny considered mentioning he had forgotten how good life could be, but that was going too far. Giving her credit for that might lead to more questions he couldn't answer from her. Not when she didn't have the same feelings for him as he did for her.

"And how to write happy music," Johnny lied.

"I don't know, I still feel pretty useless," Lulu muttered. "We worked pretty much every day for a while and nothing. Then you don't see me for a week and you come up with this."

"Coincidence," Johnny shrugged.

"Maybe," Lulu said softly. "There's just..."

"What?" Johnny asked.

"There's something bugging me about the song," Lulu admitted.

"I thought you liked it," Johnny said in disappointment.

"I did, I loved it, but the timing of it...it makes me curious," Lulu explained.

"What do you mean?" Johnny wondered.

"All of your music has always been inspired," Lulu replied. "What inspired this song?"


	11. The Truth

A/N – Long chapter. A lot going on. Read carefully, you don't want to miss anything! And review because I want to know what you thought!

**Chapter 10 – The Truth**

Johnny stared blankly at Lulu, completely confused as to what to do. Here stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, who had the softest lips his own had ever had the pleasure of kissing and she was asking him about the inspiration of the song that he had written for her. The truth could be exactly what they needed, but it could also ruin everything.

"Johnny?" Lulu asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

He moved his eyes to the floor, unable to match her stare. His mind was scrambling for the right thing to say, but it wasn't delivering any messages to his mouth to make him speak.

"Hey," Lulu said softly, making his eyes find hers again. "If it's too personal, just forget I asked."

"No, it's not," Johnny said quickly.

Lie. It was entirely too personal. It involved the both of them and feelings and thoughts he wasn't ready to confront yet. She had given him an out and for some reason, his brain had gotten itself together long enough to keep him from taking it.

"Okay..." Lulu muttered, drawing out the word. "Then what inspired the song?"

Her eyes were burning a hole through him, he just knew it. He almost wondered if the clear anticipation on her face implied that she was hoping she was his inspiration. If that was the case, everything would be so simple. Maybe it was simple. Maybe he should just tell her the truth.

"Nothing," Johnny said suddenly.

Of course he couldn't tell her the truth. Because as soon as he opened his mouth, all he could see in his mind was her running away from him and the possibilities that came from starting a relationship with him. So, he lied.

"What?" Lulu asked.

"Nothing inspired it," Johnny shrugged. "I mean, what would have?"

"I don't know, I guess I thought you met someone," Lulu replied, watching him closely.

"Oh," Johnny whispered, trying not to give anything away. "No...I haven't met anyone...well, I've met a few people, but not in the way you mean."

"I..." Lulu started, but didn't finish.

"What?" Johnny wondered.

"I should go," Lulu said, turning from him and shaking her head slightly. "You have a great song and you don't need me to help you finish it."

"Why would you think that?" Johnny questioned, following after her.

"Because," Lulu paused, turning to face him. "It's true. Whenever you finish, call me. I'll get it to my boss and I'm pretty sure he'll hire you on the spot."

"Lulu, I..." Johnny whispered.

"Don't," Lulu smiled, shaking her head. "Don't give me any more credit that I don't deserve."

"But-" Johnny tried.

"Johnny," Lulu said, touching his arm briefly. "You didn't need me to help you. You just needed someone to make sure you didn't give up on yourself. I'm glad to have done that, but I didn't do anything else. So don't put me on some pedestal or act like I've done something unique. You need to be proud of yourself for this accomplishment."

She smiled again and turned, walking out the door of the club without another word. But what Johnny couldn't understand was why he had remained silent. How could he be that stupid? He heard her car drive away and anger overtook him. He turned back to the stage and kicked over a stray chair in rage. He reached for the music on the piano and tore it into a million pieces, wanting to erase every last bit of the evidence of his biggest mistake. Of course, he wasn't quite sure which mistake that was. Was it writing a piece of music for someone who didn't seem to be interested in him? Or was it lying about the piece of music when given a chance to confess his true feelings to the first girl he'd ever really felt for?

Whatever it was, the mistake was gone now. He gathered up all the bits and pieces and threw them in the trash can near the door. He wasn't going to call Lulu or keep trying to make music because it was pointless. Every good thing in his life, he managed to lose or push away. And he was done hurting himself.

Lulu walked from the restaurant to her car quickly, not wanting to get caught in the traffic that would probably be building up soon. She really hadn't felt like meeting Brook for lunch in Manhattan after the meeting with Johnny the previous night, but she had already promised so she didn't let her friend down. However, the meal had been less than enjoyable due to Brook's constant prying and Lulu's constant avoiding when it came to Johnny. Lulu refused to tell Brook about the meeting with Johnny which her friend found rather annoying. But Lulu didn't want to hear what Brook had to say because she already knew what she was thinking and it was the truth.

Lulu was just..._**scared**_.

Every move she made where Johnny was concerned was dictated by fear. It was so unlike Lulu to let fear control her, paralyze her even. But with Johnny, it was a constant occurrence. There was something so distinctly powerful about the way he made her feel that also inspired fear. She didn't really know if it was fear of the feelings or simply fear of the unknown. Care, trust...and even love were all things that led to an abyss of emotion that she really doubted she was ready for.

Lulu frowned to herself, realizing she was still sitting in her car and because of the time she would not make it out of the city for at least an hour. She closed her eyes, trying to just let go of all the fear and confusion, but with her eyes shut, all she could see was Johnny. She shook her head, wanting to shake off the ridiculous thought she had just had, but finding it impossible to do so. She couldn't stop thinking that maybe the reason she was sitting in Manhattan, the place where Johnny lived, and probably stuck there for an hour was because she should go see him. Which was crazy.

But yet, not so crazy.

She pulled out of the parking lot as she thought back to their conversation from the night before. He had shut down in a way, hiding the truth about his inspiration for the song. Whatever had inspired him, he didn't want to tell her about it and she hadn't pushed him. Even when she knew he lied, she just let it go and ran away. She wouldn't hear his protests, whatever they may have been, because at that moment, she just wanted to leave. But now she was starting to wonder what those protests were.

Apparently, she was doing more than wondering, at least subconsciously. She looked up and realized she had driven herself to Johnny's apartment building. She had only been there a couple of times before to meet him when they were working together, but something had pulled her there and she was pretty sure she knew what it was.

As scared as she was, Lulu never let fear control her and she wasn't going to let the outcome of whatever was happening with Johnny be decided by fear either. She parked her car and headed for his door, trying to think of a valid excuse about why she was there. As she approached his door, she settled on what she was going to say and raised her hand to knock. Before she could, the door opened and there stood Johnny, apparently heading out.

"Lulu," Johnny muttered, shock crossing his face.

"You were leaving," Lulu said, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"I, uh...I was just going to take a walk," Johnny replied, stepping back. "But you're here, so I can wait. Come in."

"No, it's...I don't want to mess up any of your plans," Lulu said, letting her eyes fall to the floor in front of her. "I can go."

"You came all this way," Johnny pointed out. "Must have been somewhat important."

"Actually, I was in town to meet Brook and I thought I would just stop by," Lulu responded.

"Oh," Johnny nodded. "I thought you, uh...didn't want to work with me."

"I was worried I gave you the wrong impression," Lulu said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "It's not that I don't want to, I just don't think-"

"I do need you, Lulu," Johnny said, cutting her off and causing her eyes to snap back to his. "Please, come in."

Lulu nodded and made her way inside, trying to decode his words. There was something about the way he said it that made her pay attention. Like he wasn't talking about music at all.

"Look, I don't want to fight with you or make you uncomfortable," Johnny sighed, closing the door and turning to face Lulu again. "So, if the truth is, you don't want to work with me because of...I don't know, me or the fact that I kissed you or whatever, then I'll accept it. But, if you're trying to separate yourself from me because you somehow think that you've been anything less than vital to me, you're wrong and I need you to know that."

"Johnny," Lulu breathed, not sure what else to say.

"Is it okay for me to say that?" Johnny asked, a small grin spreading on his face.

"You can say whatever you want, as long as you're being honest," Lulu replied. "And I know that you haven't been completely honest with me."

"What do you mean?" Johnny wondered.

"Something inspired that song," Lulu said softly. "Why are you afraid to tell me what it is?"

"Because it's not a what," Johnny admitted. "It's a who."

"You didn't want me to know you have a girlfriend?" Lulu asked.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Johnny answered. "I don't have anybody...except for you."

Lulu's mouth opened and then closed again. She didn't dare break the eye contact they had as his words hung in the air.

"I was afraid to tell you that you inspired me to write a song," Johnny continued. "I was afraid of what it meant that you could inspire me in that way. Because I know what it means and I also know that we don't want the same things."

Lulu's head tilted in confusion at his last sentence. What did he mean they didn't want the same things?

"Lulu, the truth is, I dream about you," Johnny said, taking a step closer to her. "About the kiss we shared and all of the time we've spent together. And I dream about spending more time with you. I didn't want to lie to you, but I know that my feelings aren't the same as yours and I thought if I told you the truth about the song it would make you uncomfortable and you wouldn't want to work with me anymore. The ironic thing is, you were already that uncomfortable."

Lulu stayed quiet, not knowing what to say to prove to Johnny he was wrong. They did want the same things. They wanted each other.

"Look, I know this is a lot to take in and not at all why you came here," Johnny sighed. "I didn't even ask why you came here, I just started bombarding you with all this heavy emotional stuff and you didn't ask for that. I'm s-"

Lulu cut off his rambling words with a sudden kiss. She didn't know what to say to him, but she knew a way to show him he was wrong. His hands came to her waist and he pulled her closer. She let her purse fall from her hands and she wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him deepen the kiss. Their lips melded together and she pressed her body against his, forgetting her fears as she let herself get lost in him. All at once, he was pushing her away and breaking their kiss as he tried to gain control of his breathing.

"I think...I'm con-confused," Johnny got out, panting hard. "Why are you kissing me?"

"Because," Lulu breathed. "I want to. I wanted to when you kissed me the first time, but I was afraid so...I lied."

"I guess we're both just...scared liars," Johnny chuckled, pulling her close again.

"And we have some lost time to make up for," Lulu whispered, glancing from his eyes to his lips.

"You got any suggestions?" Johnny asked, grazing the tip of her nose with his own.

"Only one," Lulu replied, meeting his lips fervently.

Johnny returned her passion with an equal amount of his own as his fingers dug into her hips as he held her close. He wanted her to know that he wasn't going to let go this time. She let her hands wander down the base of his neck and around to his chest, slowly dragging her fingers over his upper body. He sighed into her mouth as her hands slid underneath his shirt and he pulled out of the kiss momentarily.

"Tell me you're sure," Johnny pleaded.

"I'm sure," Lulu smiled, meeting his eyes. "Make love to me."

Johnny smiled as well as he stepped away from Lulu enough to pull her shirt over her head. He let his eyes travel over her body as her hands found the hem of his shirt. She yanked the shirt over his head and discarded it on the floor beside her own. Their lips finally touched again, but only briefly as Johnny cut their kiss short in favor of layering kisses across her jaw and down her neck. A sigh left her mouth as his teeth tugged slightly on a patch of skin and then soothed it over with his tongue. She brought her hands to his belt buckle, but he stopped her by sweeping her up into his arms.

He carried her to his bedroom and gently laid her on the bed. He stepped back and watched Lulu as she stared longingly at him. It was everything he had wanted and it was almost too much for him to take. He needed to be with her, so he wasted no time in removing all of his own clothes and then joining Lulu on the bed. He teased her lips with a kiss before trailing his lips down her chin and to her chest. She sat up enough to help him remove her bra and then he went back to admiring her body with his lips. She arched her back as his mouth roamed over her stomach and his fingers undid the button of her jeans. He went to remove the rest of her clothing and Lulu watched him as he kissed his way back up her body.

His hands came to her face and cradled it gently as he kissed her, a soft kiss in comparison with the feel of his body pressing hard against her. As their bodies came together, Lulu clutched at his shoulders, reveling in the amount of pleasure she was experiencing. A part of her couldn't believe what was happening. After years of dreaming, she was finally finding exactly what she had been searching for since the night she heard Johnny play for the first time. He rested his forehead against hers as their pace quickened, both trying to hold onto the moment as long as possible. Their breath mingled as they both found euphoria together before Johnny collapsed into her arms.

"I'm sorry I lied," Johnny whispered, kissing her neck lightly.

"Me, too," Lulu replied, tugging him up for another kiss.


	12. Hot Stuff

A/N – It feels like it took me forever to update, so I apologize. Hopefully the content will make up for it. Again, lyrics are mine, please do not steal. Enjoy and leave me a review!

**Chapter 11 – Hot Stuff**

"What are you thinking about?" Johnny wondered, pressing a kiss to Lulu's bare shoulder.

Lulu turned her head and saw him peering over at her with a smile on his face. She smiled and rolled over to bury her head against his chest as he pulled her close.

"You," Lulu answered. "I'm always thinking about you."

"That's good to know," Johnny muttered, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Because I'm always thinking about you, too."

"Really?" Lulu asked, looking up at him.

"Yes," Johnny replied. "All day, every day since I met you."

"Well, that's good, but you still have a _**lot**_ of catching up to do in the thinking about each other department," Lulu giggled.

"Why is that?" Johnny wondered.

"Because I've been thinking about you for nine years," Lulu admitted softly.

"I wish I had met you that night," Johnny whispered, running a finger across her cheek. "Even if I hadn't seen you for nine years afterward, I would have at least had good dreams until I did see you again."

"You wouldn't have even noticed me back then," Lulu argued.

"A woman as beautiful as you, I would notice any time," Johnny smiled.

"Yes, but I wasn't a woman, I was a teenage girl with her parents," Lulu continued. "You totally would have thought I was a loser."

"Lulu, I think I know what I would have thought," Johnny laughed.

"What would you have thought?" Lulu asked.

"I would have wanted you from the first second, just like I did when we finally met," Johnny answered. "But, I might have been scared to make a move, since you were the daughter of the man who was signing my check."

"Well, I guess I'm a little bit glad we didn't meet back then," Lulu muttered. "It's hard to argue with the timing that got me here."

"You're staying, right?" Johnny wondered.

"As long as you want me to," Lulu replied.

"Really?" Johnny smirked. "As _**long**_ as I want? Well, hot stuff, you're going to be here for awhile."

"Hot stuff?" Lulu asked, rolling onto her back and laughing.

"What?" Johnny questioned, smiling at the sound of her laughter. "You don't like it?"

"Not at this point," Lulu giggled. "Maybe nine years ago."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to call you, I've never had a girlfriend before," Johnny said softly, bringing his hand to her face.

"You can just call me Lulu," she shrugged.

"No, I want to call you something that only I call you," Johnny muttered, moving to hover over her.

"As long as you call me yours, I'm okay with anything," Lulu whispered, catching his lips in a kiss.

"Even hot stuff?" Johnny asked, pulling away momentarily.

"Even hot stuff," Lulu laughed, crashing her mouth into his again.

Johnny lazily stroked his finger across Lulu's back as he watched her sleep. Other than answering the door for some takeout and a shower they had taken together that morning, they hadn't been out of bed in the twenty-four hours since Lulu came to his apartment and he was delighted by that fact. He took pride in the fact that he already knew every place on her body that drove her crazy and she was a quick learner with him as well.

The way he felt about her seemed impossible. Logically, he realized he hadn't known her that long and there was still a lot about her past that he had yet to discover. But in his heart, he felt like he had known her forever. Lulu was like this constant that he knew he couldn't live without. Her head moved a little on his chest and her long hair tickled his skin. Johnny smiled as he watched her wake up, stretching her arms above her head. He ducked so one of her hands wouldn't hit him in the face, but his movement caused her to pause. She looked at him and smiled, apparently remembering where she was and she leaned up and kissed him softly.

"Hey," Johnny whispered, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"How long have you been awake?" Lulu wondered.

"About an hour," Johnny replied.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Lulu asked.

"Because I was busy watching you sleep," Johnny smiled.

"I can't imagine that was very interesting," Lulu muttered.

"Actually, it was...peaceful," Johnny said, tracing her face with his fingertips. "I could feel your heartbeat and hear you breathe. It was really calming."

Lulu smiled at him and leaned forward to kiss him again. He deepened the kiss and slowly rolled them so she was underneath him. Her hands suddenly came to his chest and she pushed him away, shaking her head and giggling slightly.

"What?" Johnny asked.

"We need to work on your music," Lulu reminded him.

"There will be plenty of time for that," Johnny replied, leaning down to kiss her neck.

"But you already have most of a song," Lulu continued and Johnny stopped what he was doing. "What's wrong?"

"I tore up the song," Johnny admitted, sitting up and meeting her eyes.

"Why?" Lulu questioned, sitting up as well.

"I thought I lost you and I...I have no idea, I just went off," Johnny explained. "I ripped it up into tiny pieces and threw it in the trash."

"Well, we could try to get it back," Lulu suggested.

"I don't really want to," Johnny said, shaking his head. "I'd rather just start from scratch."

"Okay," Lulu agreed. "But that means we have to get to work now."

"Are you sure?" Johnny asked, scooting closer to her. "I'm sure there are other things we could do."

"Is that all you want me for?" Lulu wondered, smirking at him.

"No," Johnny said seriously. "I just want to be with you. We don't have to do anything. We could just stare at each other and I would be happy because I was with you. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know," Lulu smiled. "I was teasing you."

"I just want you to know how I feel," Johnny breathed.

"I know," Lulu replied, pressing a short kiss to his lips. "Don't worry."

He watched her get out of bed and walk to his closet, returning shortly wearing one of his shirts. She left the room and he shook his head, grabbing a pair of pajama pants before following after her. He found her waiting for him at the piano and he took a seat on the bench next to her.

"Where should we start?" Johnny wondered.

"I don't know, how did you write the last one?" Lulu countered.

"I just...thought about you," Johnny shrugged. "Your smile and...how you make me feel."

"And, you just...wrote?" Lulu asked.

"Yeah," Johnny nodded. "All of the sudden it just started coming to me and I wrote it down."

"That's sort of amazing," Lulu smiled.

"You're amazing," Johnny muttered, placing a soft kiss against her lips.

Johnny's hands fell to her waist and he pulled her against him. She let her fingers comb through his hair and she tugged on the ends, making him open his mouth so she could deepen the kiss. Before long, he was lifting her into his lap and bringing a leg around so she was straddling his hips. She pulled away and just shook her head as she looked at the desire on his face.

"We're supposed to be working on your music," Lulu reminded him.

"Yes, but," Johnny whispered, layering kisses along her neck, "I think we should just make a different kind of music."

"What kind is that?" Lulu wondered, letting her head fall back as his mouth worked magic on her skin.

"The kind where I lay you down on this piano," Johnny answered, biting her ear lobe gently.

"On the piano?" Lulu asked, blushing slightly.

"We have to use it somehow," Johnny smirked, kissing her again.

Lulu smiled as she watched Johnny sleep. They had made good use of the piano and then several other pieces of furniture. They ended up back in bed and Johnny was sound asleep, exhausted from their day of love making. Even though Lulu was tired as well, she just couldn't seem to fall asleep and she assumed it was due to her blissful state. She was so unbelievably happy and it was all because of the gorgeous man laying next to her.

As Lulu thought about Johnny and the way she felt for him, a few words started to form in her head. Moving quietly, she reached for the pen and pad of paper that Johnny had on his bedside table. She started to write down her feelings and they turned into lyrics. She was amazed that she was able to do anything related to writing a song, but she had. All because of Johnny and his impact on her. It was only a short chorus, six lines. But they were the truest things she had ever written.

_I love you more than I thought I could_

_I love you more than I probably should_

_Because it's dangerous for me to feel this way_

_Hazardous for me to say_

_I love you and I think it's good_

_That I love you more than I thought I could_

Love. She couldn't believe it and couldn't deny it all at the same time. She heard Johnny stir next to her and she quickly put the pen and pad into the drawer. Johnny's arm wrapped around her waist and he tugged her back against him.

"What are you doing?" Johnny wondered.

"Just thinking," Lulu replied.

"About me?" Johnny asked.

"Always, I told you," Lulu giggled.

"Just checking," Johnny muttered, dropping a kiss on her shoulder and then laying his head on the pillow again. "Night, hot stuff."

"Goodnight, Johnny," Lulu whispered, smiling as he instantly fell asleep.

She turned in his arms and watched him a little while longer until she could feel her eyelids getting heavy as well.

"I love you," Lulu mumbled right before she fell asleep.


	13. Hearts Grow Fonder

A/N – Thanks for all the comments! I don't think I've said that enough, but they mean a lot! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter 12 – Hearts Grow Fonder**

"No," Johnny said sternly.

Lulu just shook her head and laughed. He was pouting and she couldn't help but find it absolutely adorable.

"Johnny, I have to," Lulu said, moving to stand in front of him.

Lulu let her hands run over his bare shoulders and she watched as he closed his eyes, smiling at the way it felt for her to massage his muscles. His hands came to her waist and he pulled her close.

"You don't have to," Johnny argued, resting his head against her.

"You're making it really hard," Lulu muttered, kissing the top of his head.

"Can you blame me?" Johnny wondered, looking up at her.

"It's only about ten hours," Lulu reminded him. "Then I'll be back."

"Maybe I could just go into Port Charles with you," Johnny suggested. "Then it would only be eight hours. Or seven if we had lunch together."

"You need to be working," Lulu replied.

"I can work at the club," Johnny smiled.

"You have an argument for everything, don't you?" Lulu asked.

"Yes," Johnny answered, pulling her to sit in his lap.

"I need to go to work and I have a feeling I won't be able to focus if I know you're only a few minutes away," Lulu said softly, leaning her forehead against his cheek.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Johnny questioned.

"Not to me, but my boss might disagree," Lulu giggled.

"That's probably true," Johnny conceded.

"I'll miss you," Lulu muttered, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah?" Johnny asked, smiling at her.

"Yes," Lulu nodded, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"I'll miss you," Johnny whispered, kissing her softly. "And I'll probably call you some time today."

"Why is that?" Lulu wondered.

"Because, if I'm going to be writing, I might need to hear your voice for inspiration," Johnny smiled.

"Anything to help your creativity," Lulu replied, kissing him again.

"Anything means you would be staying," Johnny murmured, kissing the tip of her nose.

"I'll be back before you know it," Lulu promised. "And, you know, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"In that case, be prepared for me to show you how much fonder I am of you when you get back," Johnny smirked.

Lulu laughed and kissed him again before prying herself away from him. She walked to the front door of his place before he stopped her so they could share one more kiss before she left. Their kisses were always so overwhelming to her and she was thankful that he wrapped his arms securely around her waist because otherwise, she was sure she would have fallen over. He finally released her lips and rested his forehead against hers.

"Have a good day," Johnny muttered, kissing her lightly once more.

She turned to exit and couldn't wipe the smile off her face. How could she not have a good day after that?

Johnny had been trying to write for over an hour when he got restless. He was missing Lulu like crazy and he decided he needed to get out and maybe take a walk so he could focus. Before leaving, he decided to take his pad of paper and a pen with him in case the fresh air inspired him. He noticed his pad of paper was not in its usual place, so he opened the drawer of the night stand to see if he had put it away. He found it, but tilted his head in confusion as he saw that it had been written on.

"What's this?" Johnny asked aloud to himself.

He took a seat on the bed and read the words to himself. He repeated the process, finding himself in shock as he realized that the handwriting was Lulu's. And the song was about love. And more importantly, fit them exactly.

_I love you more than I thought I could_

Johnny hadn't thought himself capable of love after his mother died. But when he met Lulu, he knew he was wrong. After all the time they had spent together, especially the last few days, he knew he was in love with her. There was no other way to describe the way his whole body reacted to her presence or the way it longed for her when she wasn't around. Everything about her was perfect to him and he knew that was what love was supposed to be.

_I love you more than I probably should_

He was scared of his feelings in some ways. Loving too much could also hurt. It could do more than hurt, it could destroy. And that wasn't something he thought he could handle.

_Because it's dangerous for me to feel this way_

The possibility of being destroyed by his love for Lulu made Johnny take a deep breath and a half step back. But nothing he could do would actually make him stop loving Lulu and he was glad. No matter how dangerous it might be for him to need her and love he, he was happy that he did.

_Hazardous for me to say_

But telling Lulu he loved her? That was a different story. Actually admitting his love for her, especially so soon, was even more dangerous. It could scare her away or...she could not feel the same. That was the scariest thought he had ever experienced.

_I love you and I think it's good_

But even those thoughts, as terrifying as they were, could not change how much he enjoyed being in love with Lulu. It was the best thing that had ever happened to him. She was his inspiration and he was thankful for her.

_That I love you more than I thought I could_

And even though he didn't know that he could love before her, he was grateful to discover that he could. He was content to be in love and to enjoy whatever that meant. As long as he had Lulu, he would enjoy every part of life. And if it were up to him, he would have her forever.

He smiled as he read over the words a few more times and then decided the walk wasn't necessary. Lulu had started the perfect song and now all he needed to do was write some music and add a verse or two to complete it.

"You're late," Brook noted, waiting for Lulu in her office. "Which is very unlike you."

"I know, traffic was horrible," Lulu muttered, falling into her chair behind her desk.

"There is no traffic in Port Charles," Brook replied.

"I wasn't in Port Charles," Lulu explained. "I spent the weekend in Manhattan."

"And you didn't invite me?" Brook asked in shock.

"Well, it was spur of the moment," Lulu shrugged.

"I'm good with plans on the go," Brook argued. "Did you go to a spa?"

"No," Lulu answered, biting back a smile. "But it was really relaxing."

"Oh my..." Brook started before trailing off. "You had sex!"

"Brook!" Lulu squealed, standing up and shutting her door. "Thanks a lot."

"No way you're turning this on me and getting out of spilling the details," Brook said sternly. "Who did you have sex with?" 

Lulu gave her a look and Brook grinned widely.

"Okay, stupid question," Brook giggled. "But how did you and Johnny end up running into each other?"

"I went to see him," Lulu admitted.

"But you two were fighting when I saw you last," Brook replied.

"How did you know that?" Lulu wondered.

"You were angry and wouldn't talk about it, only one person makes you like that," Brook explained.

"Well, I wasn't angry and we weren't technically fighting," Lulu sighed. "I just told him we couldn't work together and I was feeling bad about it because I felt like I hurt him and...I don't know what happened. I had lunch with you and then just found myself at his place and when I went inside we were both just...honest. For the first time, we told each other how we felt and then...well, you know."

"No, I don't know," Brook said, feigning innocence. "What?"

"Shut up," Lulu muttered, blushing slightly. "You know!"

"So, now what?" Brook asked.

"I have no idea," Lulu shrugged. "I mean, I guess we're going to date and...just be together."

"Just be together," Brook smiled. "I bet there's nothing you want more."

"There isn't," Lulu confirmed. "I'm really happy. I, um...I think maybe you were right all along."

"Of course I was," Brook said quickly. "What was I right about?"

"I'm in love with Johnny," Lulu said happily. "Completely and I just...I love him."

"Have you told him?" Brook wondered.

"No, no," Lulu mumbled, shaking her head. "It's too soon."

"It's been nine years," Brook argued.

"Maybe, but I'm not going to screw this up by risking it," Lulu replied. "I'm going hold back on those three words, at least for a little while."

"I guess I understand," Brook relented. "But you shouldn't be afraid because I think he loves you, too."

"You've never even met Johnny," Lulu pointed out.

"I know, but just from what I've heard from you and what I know about guys, I think he's in love with you," Brook continued. "I mean, only a man who is truly smitten would push back all those times you tried to push him away."

"Well, I hope you're right about him like you were about me," Lulu smiled.

"Oh, trust me," Brook laughed. "I am."


	14. Trauma

A/N – I'm not so sure I like the way I ended this chapter. But, the other part that I wrote made the chapter too long and the next chapter needed more to be added, so I cut this one off. Might have been the wrong decision, but hopefully you will forgive me. Anyway, read and enjoy!

**Chapter 13 – Trauma**

Johnny wandered around aimlessly, thinking about Lulu. He knew it was still a couple of hours until she was going to be back with him, but he couldn't wait. He had finished the song she had started and he wanted to play it for her. After working on it for only an hour, he had it perfect and he felt amazing. He knew he was ready to play it for her and to tell her how he felt about her. That he was hopelessly in love with her.

He smiled as he looked at the music on the top of the piano. He needed to know exactly when his muse would be back in his arms. Walking quickly, he headed for his bedroom and retrieved his cell phone. He scrolled down his short list of contacts and pressed the button to dial Lulu.

"Took you long enough," Lulu said, answering after only one ring.

"I was trying not to disturb you at work," Johnny replied, grinning at the sound of her voice.

"In that case, get out of my head," Lulu giggled.

"Are you thinking about me?" Johnny wondered.

"I told you I always am," Lulu answered.

"What kind of thoughts?" Johnny asked, taking a seat on his bed.

"The impure kind," Lulu said and Johnny could practically hear her blushing.

"I can be there in an hour," Johnny reminded her.

"No, I don't want you anywhere other than waiting for me in bed when I get back," Lulu argued. "I have all sorts of plans for you."

"Have you been daydreaming all day?" Johnny questioned, smiling at the thought of her plans.

"Yes," Lulu admitted.

"Then I'm going to have a night full of fun," Johnny said, checking the clock. "When will you be here?"

"I have about twenty minutes of work left," Lulu replied. "Then the hour drive."

"Feels like forever," Johnny sighed.

"I know," Lulu muttered. "We're going to have to figure something out for the rest of the week."

"You mean you're going to work tomorrow, too?" Johnny asked, never having thought of it before.

"Johnny, I can't just not work," Lulu laughed.

"Maybe you can," Johnny suggested. "I have a surprise for you when you get here."

"What kind of surprise?" Lulu wondered. "And what does it have to do with me not working?"

"The kind that makes you happy and hopefully proud of me," Johnny answered. "And, I'm hoping that it puts us both ahead financially."

"Did you write a song?" Lulu questioned happily.

"Maybe," Johnny said softly.

"I can't wait to hear it!" Lulu said in excitement.

"Well, it's going to be awhile," Johnny replied. "Because I'm going to be in bed when you get here like you asked earlier."

"Well, I can't be upset about that," Lulu smiled.

"Good," Johnny smirked.

"I should probably go," Lulu sighed.

"Do you have to?" Johnny asked.

"The sooner I get off the phone, the sooner I can finish my work and get on the road," Lulu explained.

"Well, that I like," Johnny said, glancing at the clock again. "So, I can expect you in about an hour and a half?"

"Yeah, to two hours, just in case there's traffic," Lulu answered.

"I'll be waiting for you," Johnny said lovingly.

"See you soon," Lulu promised. "Bye."

"Bye," Johnny whispered, ending the call.

He smiled, starting to stand up and then pausing at the odd feeling he got. He shook it off and headed for the piano to practice on the song one more time.

Lulu screamed in frustration as her purse slipped from her hands right before she got to her car. She was running late after attending a meeting that had been called right before she left the office. She just wanted to get back to Johnny and everything seemed to be working against that happening. Gathering all of her things, she tossed them into the seat next to her and sighed heavily as she noticed her phone. It was cracked clean in half. Her phone had taken a beating over the last few months and it had finally given up. She knew she should probably go back inside and call Johnny so he wouldn't worry over her being a little late, but she was afraid if she did she would get hung up even more. And that was the last thing she wanted.

So, she got in her car and headed for Manhattan, deciding to just press it a little so Johnny wouldn't worry as much. The drive was dragging on and she felt the weight of her day settle in on her. That meeting had been a complete disaster. Ned had never once been angry with Lulu before, but he was now. She was slipping in her work because of all the attention she was giving Johnny. And Ned could tell. Lulu didn't know how she could even pitch Ned a song from Johnny tomorrow, no matter how good it was, considering how angry Ned was. He would know that she had been focused on Johnny even though he had told her the answer was no.

But how could she tell Johnny that she couldn't pitch his song? After everything that had happened between them, if she failed his career, she could lose him. And she knew she couldn't survive that. Lulu sighed and leaned her head on her left hand that wasn't on the wheel. Maybe if she just explained to Johnny that she needed to wait a few days to let Ned cool off, he would understand. Honesty was important to both of them and she just needed to continue being honest with the situation she found herself in now.

Lulu sighed to herself once more, but sat up quickly, noticing the car stopped short in front of her. She knew she didn't have time to hit the brakes, but there were cars in the lanes on either side of her. Her foot desperately searched for the brake, but it was no use. Her car slammed into the one in front of her and the last thing Lulu remembered was the smell of smoke and the image of Johnny anxiously awaiting her.

Johnny was officially frantic.

Lulu was two hours later than she said she would be and her cell phone was going straight to voicemail. Johnny was afraid to leave, thinking she would show up while he was gone, but at this point he had to do something. There was something wrong and he knew it. That strange feeling he had gotten earlier when their call ended was back and more vibrant this time. And it was less strange now. It was more like...dread. Like he knew there was horrible news to come, but just not exactly what it was.

He decided to try and get in touch with someone from Port Charles who might know something, so he got online and looked for the number to L&B. He dialed it quickly, but no one answered because it was after business hours. He knew calling the police department seemed a little extreme, but he had no idea what else to do. So he found the number, dialed and waited.

"Port Charles Police Department," the dispatcher answered.

"Hey, um...I don't really know how to go about this, but my girlfriend is running late and I can't get in touch with her, so I was just wondering-" Johnny started.

"We can't file a missing persons report until they have been missing for twenty-four hours, per department policy," the dispatcher said mechanically.

"I don't want to file a report, I was just wondering if you could tell me if she had been in an accident or something," Johnny said, hating to even think about it.

"Name?" the dispatcher asked.

"Lulu Spencer," Johnny replied.

"Oh," the dispatcher muttered and Johnny's heart stopped. "You haven't been notified?"

"We just started dating, I...I don't know any of her family or anything," Johnny whispered, finding a chair to sit in as his legs gave out.

"Well, I'm sorry to be the one to give the news to you, sir," the dispatcher said slowly. "She was in a serious accident earlier."

"Is she..." Johnny started, but couldn't even finish the thought, much less the sentence.

"From what I know, it was very serious," the dispatcher answered. "Touch and go on route to General Hospital. I don't know anything after she was admitted."

Johnny was frozen in place, trying to process what he had just been told. He could feel his whole world collapsing at the thought of Lulu's condition and all he knew was he had to get to her.

"Sir, are you okay?" the dispatcher asked.

"No," Johnny choked out. "I have to...where...where is General Hospital?"

"Excuse me?" the dispatcher questioned.

"I'm not from Port Charles, I need to know where that hospital is," Johnny explained, suddenly standing up and feeling slightly light headed. "I have to get to her."

"Okay, I can give you directions, but I have to remind you that rushing to get to her is potentially dangerous," the dispatcher said calmly. "You won't help your girlfriend if you end up in a bed next to her."

Johnny took a deep breath and closed his eyes, picturing Lulu at her best and praying she would be that way again. He knew he had to be strong for her and that the dispatcher was right. He had to find some sense of calm.

"I know," Johnny muttered. "Can you just tell me where the hospital is?"

Brook waited for the doctors as Lulu's surgery continued. She was a nervous wreck and almost wished she hadn't agreed to be Lulu's emergency contact. But she also wouldn't want Lulu in the hospital all alone when she was fighting for her life. Brook had thought of calling Johnny, but she had no idea how to get in contact with him. She also figured it was probably best to have some news before she called and worried him. Brook was about to sit down when she saw Patrick and Steve coming.

"Well?" Brook asked hopefully.

"She made it through," Steve said, shaking his head. "The damage to her internal organs was minimal for the most part."

"Then why do you look so worried?" Brook questioned.

"She hit her head against the steering wheel," Patrick explained. "That damage was...extensive. She's alive, but we can't say when or if she'll wake up."

"What?" Brook asked, barely getting the word out.

"Honestly, there's a chance she'll wake up tomorrow," Patrick said, trying to offer some comfort. "No lingering effects or anything. It's just hard to say at this point. We'll do more scans and reevaluate after some of the swelling around her brain goes down."

"Can I see her?" Brook wondered, trying to process everything.

"Yeah, give them about five minutes to get her settled in her room," Steve said, squeezing Brook's shoulder. "She'll be in 918."

Brook nodded and fell into a near by chair, trying to gather her wits. Lulu had to be okay, there wasn't any other option. Brook looked up as a dark headed man rushed into the waiting area and over to the desk, speaking to the nurses. Brook could tell the nurses weren't giving him any information and he was clearly frustrated as he turned away from them.

"Excuse me," Brook said softly. "Who are you?"

"I'm Johnny Zacchara," he answered. "Do you know anything about Lulu Spencer?"

"Yeah, I-I...she's my best friend," Brook replied. "How did you know she was in an accident?"

"I got worried when she didn't show at my place when she was supposed to," Johnny explained. "I called the police and they told me. How is she? Why are you out here? Why aren't you with her? Is something really wrong?"

Brook would have laughed at all his questions if it wasn't such a serious situation. This guy was obviously head over heels in love with Lulu and Brook had no idea how to tell him what was going on.

"I don't like how quiet you are," Johnny muttered.

"I was about to go see Lulu," Brook started, deciding it was best to just tell him everything Patrick and Steve had told her. "She just got out of surgery."

"Surgery? What kind of surgery?" Johnny questioned.

"I think she had some internal damage or something," Brook shrugged. "And head trauma."

"Head trauma?" Johnny repeated, more as a question. "Did the surgery not go well? Does she not remember who she is?"

"I don't know," Brook said, trying to find the best words. "She's not awake."

"Well, it's going to take awhile, obviously," Johnny said and Brook realized he didn't understand her. "I meant, did the doctors say she might not remember?"

"The doctors said...she might not wake up," Brook whispered.

Brook watched as Johnny took in her words, his eyes filling with fear. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"She's going to wake up," Johnny muttered, looking at her again. "Don't say that she won't. She will."

"I know...I know," Brook nodded.

"Well, aren't you going to go see her?" Johnny asked.

"You should go, she's in room 918," Brook replied.

"You're her best friend, you should go first," Johnny offered.

"You're the man she loves," Brook countered and Johnny's eyes widened. "And the man who loves her back. You're who she needs right now."

Johnny nodded slightly and headed for the stairs. Brook decided she should try to contact Lulu's family as best she could. It was always hard to track her family, since they were constantly on the run from one dangerous situation or another, but Brook figured they would drop everything to come and see Lulu now. Brook was just hoping, if they did show up, Lulu would be awake to know about it.


	15. Bedside Ramblings

A/N – I know, it feels like it's been forever to me, too! But I hope everyone out there is doing well! Okay, these lyrics are by me and my good friend, Beth. Do not steal them! Not that any of you would because my readers are awesome! Enjoy, and leave me a review! They're inspiring!

**Chapter 14 – Bedside Ramblings**

After Brook had made all of the phone calls, she headed to the ninth floor and stopped just outside the barely cracked door. She looked in and tears came to her eyes as she saw Johnny next to Lulu, the chair as close to her bed as he could get it. He was talking to her and Brook had to strain to hear him.

"Remember that song I was telling you about?" Johnny asked an unresponsive Lulu. "Well, I really just finished what you started. I found that chorus you wrote and...I was so inspired. Just like always, when it comes to you. I have music written, but the words are most important. Maybe I could sing it to you and you can wake up. Deal?"

Lulu didn't move, but Johnny kissed her softly anyway, sealing the deal in his own way. He started humming to her the melody of what he had written and then broke into the words.

_Something said by someone wise _

_We don't know what's been missing until it arrives_

_And when it comes it comes so fast_

_It's frightening to think it might not last_

_But that's not an option I'm willing to consider_

_When I take one look in your eyes_

_I love you more than I thought I could_

_I love you more than I probably should_

_Because it's dangerous for me to feel this way_

_Hazardous for me to say_

_I love you and I think it's good_

_That I love you more than I thought I could_

_This love took me by surprise_

_The sweetness of your kiss, the trust in your eyes_

_You gave me a chance to hold your heart_

_And the strength of my feelings nearly tore me apart_

_But I won't let my fear stop our love_

_Because it's just us until the end of time_

_I love you more than I thought I could_

_I love you more than I probably should_

_Because it's dangerous for me to feel this way_

_Hazardous for me to say_

_I love you and I think it's good_

_That I love you more than I thought I could_

Brook wiped away all the tears that had fallen as Johnny sang to Lulu. What he had written to her, what they had written to each other was so beautiful. Brook noticed Johnny's face fall as Lulu remained motionless. For the first time, Brook actually considered what would happen if Lulu didn't wake up. How things would change for everyone, but clearly the most for Johnny. Brook knew very little about him, only what small details Lulu had shared, but it was obvious Lulu was his whole world.

And if he lost her, he would lose everything.

She closed her eyes and turned away, not wanting to think like that. She had to get her mind off of all the negative and find a way to pull something positive out of the situation. That's what Lulu always did. Brook glanced in the room again and as she heard Johnny singing to Lulu once more, she realized what she could do.

Johnny waited, rather impatiently, as the nurse checked Lulu's vitals. Every few hours a nurse would come in and he would have to let go of Lulu's hand and stand away from her. Too far away. He couldn't stand not being close to her. He needed to touch her so she would feel him and keep fighting. She had to wake up, there was no other option.

Finally, the nurse finished and Johnny rushed back to Lulu's side. She was so still and beautiful. When they had been together in Manhattan, he had watched her sleep as often as possible. He'd even had the fleeting thought that he could watch her that way forever. But no more. Now, he wanted nothing more than for her to wake up and look at him. He didn't need words or kisses. He just needed to see her bright, shining eyes and know that she was okay.

"I've been thinking about your nickname," Johnny said, gently squeezing Lulu's hand. "I know I can't call you hot stuff in front of everyone, so I need something else. I don't feel like it should be something conventional, though. We're not conventional."

Johnny smiled as he thought of exactly how unconventional they were. Their relationship had been the opposite of what was written in most storybooks. In no story that Johnny could remember did the characters get in the way of their own happiness the way he and Lulu had done. But that was over now. When Lulu woke up, Johnny was going to make sure they didn't waste another second.

"So, what do you think?" Johnny wondered, brushing some hair from her face. "What about My Dove? Yeah, I agree, it's horrible. Sweet Tart? I guess that's sort of mean, isn't it?"

Johnny laughed slightly at that. He felt a little ridiculous carrying on a conversation with her, but he knew her so well, he knew her reaction to any question he might ask.

"Maybe we'll save the nicknames for later, huh?" Johnny suggested. "Right now, I'd rather tell you about the date I'm going to take you on when you wake up. I know, a date. We haven't been on one yet, but I'm going to treat you right. So, I was thinking dinner. I know this club in Manhattan, sort of like your dad's old place. Anyway, there's live music and we could dance. I have to warn you, I'm not the best dancer, but I think it would be fun."

His expression sobered slightly and he leaned up to press a kiss to her forehead. His hand stroked her face gently before he sunk back into his chair.

"I love you," Johnny whispered. "But I'm a little scared. I just want us to have this great life, but I don't know if I can give that to you. I don't have a lot of money or anything to offer you really. Except me, Lulu. All I can give to you is all that I am and all the love in my heart. I hope it's enough."

He turned her palm upwards and laid his cheek in her hand. He would give anything for her to wake up and stroke his face the way she sometimes did. Her fingers would barely brush over his skin, but it would make him tingle all over. Before he knew what was happening, tears were leaking out of his eyes. His tears trailed down into her hand and he raised his head, not wanting her to feel his pain. She needed his strength, not weakness.

"This feels so horribly familiar," Johnny admitted. "You have to be stronger than my mom, Lulu. You can't die. I wouldn't survive."

Johnny hung his head and gripped Lulu's hand tighter, fighting every dark part inside of him that was trying to take over. He couldn't go back to being the man he was before Lulu walked into his life. He just couldn't. But it was inevitable if Lulu didn't open her eyes and smile at him and make the world worth living in again.

"Please, Lulu," Johnny begged. "Please wake up."

Ned strolled into the hospital, trying to swallow the guilt he felt rising inside of him. He was well aware of the fact that he was the last one to speak to Lulu before her accident and he wasn't kind. He was probably harsher with her than he had been at any other point in her career. It was so trivial, really, and he wished he could take it back. So what if she was young and in love and a little behind? She was still doing more than half of his other producers.

"Dad!" Brook called, getting his attention.

"Hey, how is she?" Ned asked, walking over to her.

"No change, from what I know," Brook replied. "I haven't been in, I'm letting Johnny stay in there. If she's going to wake up for anyone, it's for him."

"I shouldn't have yelled at her," Ned sighed, shaking his head. "This is my fault."

"No, it's not," Brook argued. "There is no telling what caused her to crash."

"I just want her to wake up, so I can apologize," Ned muttered.

"Well, I was thinking she could wake up to some good news that would also qualify as your apology," Brook said, leading them further away from Lulu's hospital room.

"What do you mean?" Ned wondered.

"I mean, you've heard Johnny before, right?" Brook questioned.

"Yeah, Lulu played me a song," Ned nodded. "It was all sad, though."

"I know, I heard it, too," Brook responded. "But, he has a new song and it's anything but sad. It's a hit, Dad."

"Where's the demo?" Ned asked.

"Well, it's not recorded," Brook admitted. "I just heard him singing it to Lulu earlier. They wrote it together."

"Lulu wrote a song?" Ned questioned in shock.

"Yes," Brook answered. "She said Johnny inspired her."

"Wow," Ned breathed.

"Exactly," Brook said enthusiastically. "So, I was thinking you could give Johnny that contract."

"You know it doesn't work like that," Ned replied.

"But it can if you want it to," Brook argued. "You're the boss, make your own rules."

"It would seem like favoritism," Ned countered.

"Not once you hear the song," Brook pressed. "Trust me, Dad. If you pass on this, Johnny will just go somewhere else and Lulu may go with him. Do you really want to risk losing her talent? Or his?"

Ned shook his head quickly, weighing his options in his mind and realizing he only had one legitimate one. He had to offer Johnny the chance to join L&B Records.

"I need to hear the song first," Ned reasoned, letting a small smile come to his face. "Just for logistics."

Brook smiled widely and hugged her father and Ned returned the hug.

"Lulu is going to be thrilled when she wakes up," Brook said happily.

"I just hope that happens soon," Ned muttered.

Johnny frowned, staring at his feet and feeling his own heart beat every time the machine monitoring Lulu's beeped. Three days had past and no change had occurred in her state. Some arrogant doctor had told him to prepare himself for the worst case scenario after her latest round of tests. The guy was a moron and Johnny had been about five seconds away from punching him when a nurse came in and called him to an emergency.

"Can you believe that guy?" Johnny asked, standing up. "I mean, he's giving up on you. You know that, right? Idiot. Don't worry, Lu, I'm not. I will never give up. I know you're going to wake up because you wouldn't leave me. You just wouldn't."

Johnny glanced at her as he paced and noticed how she never moved. Not even the slightest flinch, no matter what he said. How could this be happening?

"Nothing is happening," Johnny answered out loud. "She's fine. You're fine, right, Lu?"

_**Lu.**_

He had taken to calling her that over the last few days. He didn't know if she would like it, but he did. It was so simple, and fit her perfectly. He hoped no one else called her that because he wanted it to be their special thing. The affectionate name that only he said that would make her smile, make her heart jump.

"Mr. Zacchara," a nurse said softly, stepping into the room. "It's time to check her vitals."

"Go ahead," Johnny replied, stepping out of the way.

"Well, the nurses and I have been talking," she said, fear touching her voice slightly. "We thought it might be a good idea for you to leave for awhile."

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked.

"You've barely left this room and you haven't left the hospital since Ms. Spencer was brought in," the nurse answered. "You should take a walk for an hour. She'll still be here when you get back."

"Still sleeping and never know I was gone, right?" Johnny questioned in anger. "Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine. I'm not going anywhere, so you and the other nurses can mind your own business and just do your jobs."

She nodded wordlessly and went to work, examining the machines attached to Lulu. A throat cleared and Johnny looked up to find Lulu's boss in the doorway. He had been by a couple of times and introduced himself, but Johnny hadn't really listened to anything the man had said.

"Johnny, can I speak with you outside?" he asked.

What was his name?

"I..." Johnny sighed, looking at Lulu.

"It will just take a minute," he replied.

"Okay," Johnny finally agreed.

He walked closer to Lulu and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"I'll be right back," Johnny promised, kissing her lips.

Johnny walked into the hall and Lulu's boss offered him a sympathetic smile. Johnny felt his defenses rise. If this was another speech about letting go, he was really going to hit someone.

"Can you make it quick?" Johnny requested after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I have an offer for you."

"What?" Johnny asked in confusion.

"I have an offer for you," he repeated. "I want to give you a deal at L&B Records."


	16. Drowning In Love

A/N – Finally, I finished! And, hopefully to everyone's delight, I added another chapter to my outline. So, there is another chapter after this and then the epilogue. Okay, because it's taken me forever to update, enough with the author's note. Just read and please review!

**Chapter 15 – Drowning In Love**

Johnny contemplated the face of the man in front of him, looking for the reason behind his words. It was pity or something, it had to be. He had no reason to offer Johnny a recording contract, but he was doing it anyway. Johnny glanced at Lulu through the window and shut his eyes tightly.

"Lulu's going to wake up," Johnny said, focusing his eyes back on her boss.

"This isn't about Lulu," he tried.

"Isn't it?" Johnny asked. "Why else would you suddenly want me on your label?"

"Brook overheard you singing a song you had written to Lulu the other day," he explained. "She said it was fantastic."

"She shouldn't eavesdrop," Johnny snapped.

He sighed to himself and offered up an apologetic look.

"Look, right now...it's-I can't talk about my future in any sense right now," Johnny muttered.

"I think you should think about what Lulu would want," he replied.

"Well, when she wakes up and can tell me what she wants, I'll think about it," Johnny said firmly. "But until then, the answer is no."

"Johnny-" he tried.

"Please, don't," Johnny sighed. "I don't want to be in this business without Lulu by my side every step of the way. I'm not signing until she's awake."

"What if the offer is no longer on the table then?" he wondered.

"I won't care," Johnny shrugged. "She's the only thing that matters."

Johnny started back inside, but was stopped by Lulu's boss once again.

"You should have this," he said, pulling out a business card. "So when she wakes up, you can call me."

"I thought it was a limited time offer," Johnny said, reading the card and finding the name Ned Ashton.

"It's not," Ned replied. "Call me whenever you're ready."

Johnny nodded and went back inside Lulu's room. The nurse had just finished and she passed him to leave without saying a word. Johnny took his seat by Lulu's bedside and frowned to himself.

"You're supposed to be awake, Lu," Johnny said softly. "You're supposed to be able to hear me tell you that all our hard work paid off. Ned offered me a contract at L&B."

Johnny felt the tears he had been fighting for the last three days finally reach his eyes and spill out slowly. He hadn't cried since the first few hours of sitting with her, trying to be strong for her instead. But now he just couldn't fight it anymore.

"I'm not giving up, I promise, I just..." Johnny said, not able to finish his thought.

He wiped his eyes and mentally cursed himself for his weakness.

"I just don't think you can hear me wherever you are," Johnny admitted, standing again. "I think if you could hear me, you would be awake by now. You wouldn't just let me ramble on and on for days. If nothing else, you would open your eyes and tell me to shut up. But you don't do that, you don't do anything."

Johnny sighed and turned away from her, not even able to look at her. He was a horrible person, practically blaming Lulu for her coma in his mind. It wasn't her fault, it wasn't anyone's fault. But he had to be angry with someone.

"I'm sorry, Lulu," Johnny offered. "I did this to you. If you hadn't been coming to see me, you would be fine right now."

Johnny paced the room, never letting his eyes settle on her. He couldn't look at her without feeling guilty.

"I'm selfish," Johnny continued. "I should have known, everyone I've ever loved has suffered in some way or another. Why-why can't you be different? I thought you were going to be, that maybe somehow I wasn't a curse anymore."

Johnny finally stopped and looked at Lulu, the tears flowing freely now.

"But even with you being like this," Johnny whispered. "I can't be sorry for loving you. Even if I should be...I just can't. And I won't stop loving you or waiting for you to wake up. If I spend the rest of my life right next to you in this room, I don't care. You're everything to me."

He walked slowly over to the bed and took a seat next to her again. His hands wrapped around one of hers and he kissed it gently.

"I'm waiting for you to come back to me," Johnny promised.

Lulu looked at the island around her, trying to find any sign of other people. She needed to get to a phone or something. It had been a few days and she knew Johnny must have been worried. Maybe even Brook or Ned, too. She hated not remembering how she got there, but she really just wanted to leave.

When she first woke up in the hammock under the shade tree, she had smiled. It was such a peaceful place. But as soon as she realized she was all alone in this strange place, she had started searching for a way to leave. She had walked for an entire day, but it seemed like she never got anywhere. It was like the little cottage with the shade tree out front followed her wherever she went. Lulu had never been so frustrated in her entire life.

Sighing to herself, she dropped down onto the front steps of the cottage and closed her eyes. She missed Johnny so much. She missed the sound of his voice, the warm color of his eyes and the way he made her feel. But most of all she missed being in his arms.

Lulu's eyes shot open as she heard Johnny's voice. She looked around, trying to find him, but she saw nothing. Maybe she had imagined it.

_I can't be sorry for loving you._

She definitely had _**not**_ imagined that. She stood up and walked out into the small front lawn of the cottage.

"Johnny?" she asked, looking around everywhere.

_You're everything to me._

A smile came to her face as she realized his voice was coming from the direction of the ocean. She sprinted towards it and for the first time, she was able to put some distance between herself and the cottage.

_I'm waiting for you to come back to me._

"I'm coming!" Lulu screamed, trying to run faster.

She finally felt her feet hit the sand of the beach and she kept going, even though she didn't see Johnny anywhere. Her mind was telling her to just keep running toward the ocean and she would find him eventually. So she did. Her feet hit the water, but she didn't stop. She kept going and going until she was under water. Still, Johnny was nowhere and she realized she couldn't breathe. She tried to go back, or fight to the surface so she could take a breath, but she couldn't. She was trapped in the water and losing any chance of ever seeing Johnny again. She was light headed from the lack of oxygen and finally, her eyes shut as sleep claimed her and she knew death would follow soon after.

Johnny didn't know if it was real at first or not. He wanted it to be, so badly. He needed it to be real.

"Lu?" Johnny asked, smiling at the bright amber eyes he was seeing for the first time in days.

"Johnny?" Lulu countered, looking just as surprised to see him.

"You're awake," Johnny breathed, standing up and kissing her.

His kiss was passionate, but gentle, remembering she was still in the hospital and probably in some pain. He pulled away after a few moments and she smiled at him.

"Wh-How did I get here?" Lulu wondered, confusion sweeping over her.

"You were in an accident," Johnny explained.

"When?" Lulu asked.

"Three days ago," Johnny answered, sitting next to her on the bed and taking her hands in his. "You've been unconscious since then."

"I'm sorry," Lulu offered, trying to sit up more in the bed. "You must have been worried."

"No, no," Johnny said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I mean, yes, I was worried. But you have nothing to be sorry about. It was an accident and now it's over."

"You've been crying," Lulu noted, bringing a hand to his face.

"I'm fine," Johnny said, leaning into her touch. "You're awake and that means I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Lulu questioned with worry in her eyes.

"I've never been better," Johnny nodded.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but you've looked better," Lulu smirked.

"Ouch," Johnny laughed. "And here I thought you might be happy to see me."

"I am," Lulu replied, smiling at him. "Actually, I like the stubble, too."

"Really?" Johnny blushed, unconsciously running a hand over his growing beard. "I haven't really taken the time to shave since you were brought in."

"I think it's very sexy," Lulu muttered, kissing him gently. "Maybe you should have it all the time."

"Whatever you want, I'm going to give to you," Johnny promised. "I-"

"Don't," Lulu said, holding her hand up. "I know what you're going to say and don't."

"Why?" Johnny asked, hoping she wasn't going to tell him she didn't feel the same.

"Because I love you," Lulu smiled. "And I wanted to say it first so you would know that I'm saying it because I mean it and not because I think I have to. I really love you."

Johnny returned her smile and kissed her passionately. They pulled away breathing heavily and Johnny tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Can I say it now?" Johnny wondered.

"If you want," Lulu shrugged with a grin.

"I love you, Lulu" Johnny said sweetly.

They kissed again and Lulu ended the kiss after only a few seconds with a giggle.

"What?" Johnny asked.

"Okay, the stubble is sexy, but it tickles," Lulu laughed, running her hand over his chin.

"Well, if it tickles so much that I can't kiss you, it has to go," Johnny chuckled.

"Nothing is going to keep me from kissing you ever again," Lulu promised.

"I'm holding you to that," Johnny muttered, catching her lips one more time.


	17. Dreams Come True

A/N – It has been forever, but the wait is over. After this, there is only an epilogue. So, this story will be over before Christmas, and then I'm going to do my best to get the next part of my series up and running. Not to mention, keeping _We Weren't Crazy_ moving at a good pace and a Christmas one shot. So much Jolu love, so little time! And because this is the first time I'm posting since Wednesday, must say, how amazing was it to see them back on screen together? They're just so pretty! Okay, enough chatter! Read and review!

**Chapter 16 – Dreams Come True**

Johnny held Lulu as she slept, watching her breathe gently and smiling because everything was okay. After Lulu woke up, the doctors took her away for some tests in which time, she made Johnny promise to go somewhere and shower and rest for awhile. He had checked into a hotel, showered and tried to rest, but found it impossible. After everything Lulu had been through, he couldn't stand to be away from her. So he quickly made his way back to the hospital and into her room, even though visiting hours were technically over. She laughed at his inability to stay away, but happily let him share her bed and they spent the night sleeping soundly in each other's arms.

Now it was morning and Johnny had woken up first. A small part of him wanted to wake her up, afraid that she had somehow slipped back into the coma, but he knew he shouldn't. She still needed rest to recuperate from the accident and it would be selfish of him to stop that just because he wanted to see her beautiful eyes.

"Do I have something on my face?" Lulu asked softly.

"No," Johnny laughed as her eyes fluttered open.

"Then why are you staring like that?" Lulu giggled, shifting slightly.

"I can't help it," Johnny muttered. "You're beautiful."

"Did you at least sleep some last night?" Lulu wondered.

"Yes, I did," Johnny answered. "Very well, in fact. I only woke up a little while ago."

"Good, you needed rest," Lulu replied.

"The only thing I need is you," Johnny smiled, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"I love you," Lulu whispered.

"I love you, too," Johnny breathed.

They fell into a calm silence, both reveling in their love for each other. After a few minutes, a nurse came in and smiled in spite of them obviously breaking the rules. Johnny reluctantly got out bed and let the nurse check all of the machines hooked up to Lulu. She told them everything looked good and then left just as quickly as she came.

"You know, there are a few things I need to tell you," Johnny said, taking the chair next to her bed.

"Okay, you sound serious," Lulu said, sitting up a little. "What is it?"

"Well, first, I found the chorus you wrote," Johnny admitted.

"How bad was it?" Lulu asked.

"It wasn't bad, it was amazing," Johnny replied. "I loved it."

"Really?" Lulu questioned in disbelief.

"Yeah," Johnny nodded. "Which brings me to the next thing I have to tell you. I finished the song."

"You did?" Lulu asked happily and he nodded. "Sing it to me."

Johnny blushed and quietly sang her the song...their song. She smiled and felt herself tear up at how beautiful it sounded with his contribution. The tears fell as he finished and he leaned in to kiss her softly. After a few minutes, he pulled away and wiped the remaining tears from her cheek.

"That was the most beautiful song I've ever heard," Lulu whispered, smiling brightly.

"It's our song, Lu," Johnny muttered, curling a piece of hair around her ear. "And apparently, that song is going to get me a contract."

"What?" Lulu wondered in confusion.

"Ned came to see me yesterday," Johnny explained. "Apparently Brook overheard me singing that to you when you were still unconscious. He wants to sign me at L&B."

"Johnny, that's so wonderful," Lulu exclaimed, throwing her arms around him again.

He pulled her close and smiled at her excitement. All their dreams were coming true. And they were their dreams, not just his. It was as if from the day they met, their lives had merged and now they shared everything: love, happiness and dreams for the future. They were inexplicably linked to one another and he was so grateful for that.

"I love you so much," Lulu mumbled into his neck.

"I love you, too," Johnny replied.

"So, when do you start recording?" Lulu questioned, pulling back.

"Well, I didn't sign the contract yet," Johnny admitted.

"Why not?" Lulu asked.

"I couldn't do it without my producer," Johnny answered, grinning at her.

"Well, I'm here now," Lulu noted with a smile. "Call Ned and let's get your deal!"

Johnny had called Ned and he had promised to stop by the hospital with all the paperwork after his last meeting ended. It was late afternoon when Ned appeared in Lulu's doorway, smiling at the couple so completely wrapped up in each other that they hadn't noticed him arrive.

"Knock, knock," Ned muttered, getting their attention.

"Hey!" Lulu said happily. "It's good to see you!"

"Good to see you awake, Lulu," Ned replied. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you before the accident."

"It doesn't even matter," Lulu shrugged. "You were right, but I hope you see now why I couldn't give up on Johnny."

"I do," Ned nodded, holding up the paperwork. "That's why I brought this."

"I really appreciate you giving me a chance," Johnny said softly. "I know I'm a risk."

"Are you kidding?" Ned questioned. "You're very talented, Johnny. And with Lulu by your side, I know you'll do great things."

"Ooh, lucky for you I'm sticking around," Lulu teased, kissing Johnny's cheek.

"She's back to her old self as you can see," Johnny laughed, pressing a short kiss to her lips.

"Well, that can be dangerous for all of us," Ned chuckled.

They all laughed again and Ned started to hand the paperwork to Johnny piece by piece. They went over it slowly and Johnny signed in all the appropriate places. The last document was the official contract and Johnny paused to take in the moment he had been waiting for since he played in Luke's all those years ago. Lulu placed her hand on his shoulder and he smiled at her before signing his name on the line, officially beginning his career as a musician. Lulu leaned in and connected their lips briefly, whispering she loved him before pulling away.

"Well, there we go," Ned said, gathering everything. "Welcome to L&B Records."

"Thank you," Johnny replied, offering him his hand which Ned shook in finality.

"I know you'll want to wait for Lulu to be back on her feet again before you start recording," Ned noted. "And that's fine, so don't worry. No need to rush yourself back, either, Lulu. You get healthy and when you do, we'll set up a date for Johnny to get in the studio."

"Yes, sir," Lulu giggled.

Ned said goodbye and as soon as he was out the door, Lulu pulled Johnny into a more passionate kiss.

"I'm so proud of you," she muttered, breaking the kiss, but resting her forehead against his.

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you," Johnny smiled. "I was ready to quit, but you saved my career. And gave me something happy to write about."

"It was the least I could do," Lulu shrugged. "You've given me everything just by being with me."

"I'm the lucky one," Johnny argued.

"We could argue about that all day," Lulu giggled. "Or, you could climb into bed with me again and just hold me."

"That sounds like an excellent plan," Johnny agreed, standing up.

He helped her move over and slid in next to her. He smiled as she instantly cuddled against him and reveled in how perfectly she fit in his arms.

"You know, I can't wait to get out of here," Lulu muttered after a few minutes.

"Ned said they would wait, there's no rush," Johnny reminded her.

"Sure, L&B will wait, but that's not why I want to get out of here," Lulu replied.

"Then why?" Johnny asked, looking down at her.

"So we can have some privacy in a bed a little bigger than this," Lulu smirked.

Three days had gone by and the doctors finally decided Lulu was ready to be released from the hospital. She had everything packed and was waiting patiently for Johnny to bring the wheelchair that was hospital policy for exiting patients.

In the last three days, she and Johnny had been working on more music and compiling a list of some of the songs he had already written so that Johnny would almost be ready to record an entire album when the time came. She was ecstatic about everything working out the way it was meant to for Johnny. And in both of their minds, that also meant her being with him forever.

"Your chariot awaits, madam," Johnny said, breaking her from her thoughts.

"That thing is not a chariot," Lulu frowned, walking over to him. "No one would notice if I just walked out of here."

"I would notice," Johnny argued. "Are you calling me 'no one?'"

"No," Lulu replied, hugging him to her. "I'm just trying to avoid feeling like an invalid in that wheel chair."

"Well, how about I give you a choice?" Johnny suggested and Lulu nodded her agreement. "You can walk out of here without the wheelchair if you promise that when we get to your place, you go straight to bed for some rest."

"Johnny, we already talked about what we're doing when we get to my place," Lulu reminded him. "And it's not resting."

"Then I guess you can take option number two," Johnny smirked. "Leave here in the wheelchair and get to participate in all the activities I have planned for us."

"That's not fair," Lulu pouted.

"Seems fair to me," Johnny laughed.

"Take me to my chariot," Lulu sighed, holding her arm out to him.

He guided her to the chair and helped her into it, even though he knew she didn't need his help. He bent over and kissed her sweetly on the lips and she smiled at him.

"Let's get out of here," Lulu murmured, kissing him once again. "I want to get home and show you how much I love you."

"That makes two of us," Johnny whispered in her ear, pushing her eagerly toward the elevator. "Even if it takes me the rest of the day."

"The day?" Lulu asked. "I think it will take at least a week."

"You know, you're right," Johnny nodded. "I think I'll be spending the rest of my life showing you."

Lulu smiled as his lips met hers again in a kiss filled with pure love.


	18. Epilogue

A/N – So, we come to the end of another journey! I hope everyone enjoyed this one as much as I did! This epilogue has a lot of callbacks to the prologue, just for fun! I hope you all like the ending and let me know how you feel, good or bad! Thanks for being here with me throughout!

**Epilogue – The Beginning of Forever**

Deep breaths.

Confidence. Passion. Honesty.

Johnny looked in the mirror, repeating these words over and over again to himself as he took deep cleansing breaths to calm his nerves. These were the words he played by; words he lived by.

"Are you nervous?" Lulu asked, stepping into Johnny's dressing room.

"Oh yeah," Johnny nodded, turning to her. "I can't believe this day is here."

Six months had gone by since Lulu's accident and Johnny's career had blossomed just as they had both hoped it would. It had taken him a couple of months to finish his first CD, but as soon as he released his first single, he was known nation wide. He was launching his first tour and that night was the first performance.

"I always knew this day would come," Lulu smiled, slipping into his arms.

"I just wish I could relax a little," Johnny muttered.

"Anything I can do to help?" Lulu questioned, smirking at him.

Johnny smiled back at her and glanced at the clock on the wall. They had plenty of time. He kissed her passionately and she fell into his kiss, tightening her hold around his neck. The dressing room he had been given wasn't very big, only offering a plush armchair and a small dresser as surfaces. But Lulu obviously had other plans because she was pushing him back and into the door, her hands tugging his shirt out of his pants as she went. His back hit the door and he smiled at Lulu as she brought her hands to the buttons of his shirt.

He caught her hands and quickly spun them around, wanting to take control of their little rendezvous. He used one of his hands to pin her arms above her head and the other to survey her body. She closed her eyes as his lips devoured her neck while his wandering hand trailed over her hip. As his hand moved under her thigh, he suddenly released the hold he had on her arms and used both hands to hoist her up as he pressed her against the door. She grinned widely before their lips met and reached for his belt, not wanting to delay the moment any longer.

A few seconds later, they were joined together and doing their best to stay quiet, so no one outside his room would know what they were doing. His lips were hitting every inch of skin they could and hers were doing the same. Before long, their lips met as they both found their release and when they pulled away, they were panting heavily.

"Feeling better?" Lulu wondered, nuzzling his neck.

"Much," Johnny whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "Any chance we make this a tradition?"

"Well, it is my job to keep the talent happy," Lulu replied, leaning back to kiss his lips once more.

"I'm always going to be happy with you," Johnny murmured, pressing a final kiss to her forehead.

Johnny backed away and Lulu's legs fell to the floor. She straightened her dress and he fixed his pants. He checked himself in the mirror and laughed at his disheveled hair.

"What?" Lulu asked.

"You just love to run your fingers through my hair," Johnny chuckled, picking up some hair gel.

"I can't help it," Lulu giggled, taking a seat in the chair.

"Well, I don't mind," Johnny replied. "It feels nice."

"Your shirt is a little wrinkled," Lulu noted, frowning.

"I can't say I'm surprised," Johnny smiled, finishing with his hair.

"Don't smile, I don't want you to look bad," Lulu sighed.

"Don't worry, Lu, my jacket will cover it," Johnny said, winking at her.

"So did you decide about the tie?" Lulu wondered.

"No, I was going to let you decide," Johnny answered, picking up the tie in question.

"To wear or not to wear," Lulu said thoughtfully.

"I guess it doesn't matter that much," Johnny shrugged.

"No, it does," Lulu argued. "You have to look perfect."

"Don't I always?" Johnny asked with a smirk.

"Yes," Lulu said quickly. "But I'm probably a little biased."

"Just choose," Johnny muttered, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Tie," Lulu said with finality.

"Okay, you fix it," Johnny replied, giving her the tie.

"You're so needy," Lulu giggled, taking the tie and placing it around his neck.

"Are my needs a problem for you?" Johnny questioned.

"Johnny," Lulu whispered, blushing slightly.

"You have a dirty mind," Johnny laughed.

"I blame you," Lulu replied, finishing with his tie.

"Well, that's not very nice," Johnny muttered, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Thank you for fixing my tie, Lulu," she mocked. "Oh, you're so welcome, Johnny."

"Thanks, Lu," Johnny said softly, brushing her hair from her shoulder. "For everything. You've given me more than I ever hoped for. And I love you."

"I love you, too," Lulu smiled, tears coming to her eyes. "I know you're going to be amazing tonight."

Johnny bent down to kiss her slowly, showing her his feelings the best way he knew how. She pulled away after several minutes, holding his face close and resting her forehead against his. A knock at the door pulled them out of their moment.

"They're ready for you, Mr. Zacchara," the stage manager called from behind the door.

"I'll be right there," Johnny replied.

He checked himself in the mirror and Lulu went to grab his jacket, but he quickly turned to stop her.

"I've got it," Johnny said, making sure she didn't touch it.

"Okay," Lulu laughed.

"Sorry, just nervous all over again," Johnny sighed, pulling his jacket on.

"You have no reason to be nervous," Lulu reminded him, trying to help him button his jacket.

"I got it, Lu," Johnny said, turning back to the mirror.

"Suddenly I can't touch you?" Lulu asked.

"Don't be silly," Johnny muttered, finishing the last button and facing her again. "I just have a routine. What I always used to do before playing a show."

"Oh," Lulu nodded, not sure if she believed him. "Well can we break your routine for a quick good luck kiss?"

"That is a must," Johnny smiled.

He bent and kissed her sweetly, letting her calm him, but stopping her arms before they could wrap around his waist. He linked their fingers together as he pulled away.

"I'm going to give you just a second," Lulu whispered. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Johnny replied, watching her leave.

He closed his eyes and visualized the songs he would play, the words he would sing. He saw the smiles of the audience, heard their applause. He felt their excitement at hearing his music for the very first time. He smiled and opened his eyes, looking in the mirror and knowing that it was the first day of a wonderful life that he would have. It was time.

Confidence. Passion. Honesty.

Deep breaths.

Lulu wrung her hands nervously as she waited for Johnny to come out of his dressing room. She had taken a peek at the crowd and the place was packed, just like she hoped it would be. Johnny walked out and nodded to the stage manager that he was ready. He didn't say anything, simply slipped his hand into hers and squeezed gently. Lulu brought his hand to her lips and kissed it lightly, giving him silent support.

"Ladies and gentleman," the announcer spoke. "Mr. Johnny Zacchara."

Johnny squeezed her hand once more before walking out on stage. The people applauded immediately and Lulu's heart swelled with pride. She watched as Johnny took a seat behind his piano and smiled out at the crowd.

"Good evening," Johnny said softly. "It's an honor to be here."

Lulu smiled as she remembered those were the words he spoke when she heard him perform at her dad's club all those years ago. He placed his hands on the keys and started to play one of his faster songs, exciting the audience.

She got lost in his music and before she knew it, he was ending his show with the song they had first written together. He played the last few notes and the audience burst into applause, getting to their feet as well. Lulu clapped as well and Johnny stood and bowed to them, blushing slightly at the overwhelming reaction to his performance. He picked up the microphone and Lulu arched an eyebrow in surprise, knowing he didn't like speaking in front of so many people.

"I really want to thank everyone for coming," Johnny said quietly. "Today has been one of the best days of my life. And if you all don't mind, I'd like to try to make it a little better."

The people clapped in encouragement, but Lulu frowned in confusion. She had no idea what he was doing because as far as she knew, he had no other songs to play.

"Lulu Spencer, could you come out here please?" Johnny asked, looking in her direction.

Lulu's face clouded in confusion, but she did as he requested. As she appeared on stage, the people applauded quietly, just as interested as she was to find out what Johnny was up to. When she reached Johnny, he wrapped his arm around her and turned them to the audience.

"This woman is the one who discovered me," Johnny explained. "She was the one who refused to give up on me or let me give up on myself. But more than that, she is my inspiration. Not just for my music, but for every aspect of my life. And most importantly she is the love of my life. The person I can't live without."

Everyone clapped louder than before and Lulu smiled, tears in her eyes from Johnny's words. He turned to face her, dropping his arm from her waist and grabbing her hand in his.

"Lu, without you, I wouldn't be here," Johnny continued. "I never want to be without you. It doesn't matter to me if my career lasts ten days, ten months or ten years. When it's over, I'm still going to want to be with you all the time."

Lulu brought her other hand to his face, smiling even wider at his declaration of love in front of a room full of strangers. He let go of her hand and dug in his pocket, making her eyes fall to see what he was doing. He pulled a ring box out of his jacket pocket and her mouth dropped in surprise. Johnny dropped to one knee in front of her and sounds of surprise and happiness for the couple came from across the concert hall.

"Lulu Spencer, will you marry me?" Johnny asked, opening the box.

The beautiful diamond caught the lights from the stage and glittered brightly. Lulu's heart stopped as she met Johnny's eyes and he knew her answer immediately. She nodded for the benefit of those watching in the crowd and then fell to her knees, kissing him sweetly. The crowd applauded loudly again, some people cheering the moment. Johnny pulled out of the kiss and dropped the microphone so he could put the ring on her finger.

"I love you," Johnny whispered, sliding the ring onto her finger.

"I love you, too," Lulu replied, hugging him tightly. "More than I thought I could."


End file.
